


No sooner met

by angelfiregirl80



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Cute Kids, Drug Abuse, Drug Use, F/M, Fluff, Holidays, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Music, Newborn Children, Smut, Teenlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-01 12:18:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 68
Words: 83,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5205629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelfiregirl80/pseuds/angelfiregirl80
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if they met and soon loved? Love at first sight does exist, no matter who you may have loved before.<br/>John and Sherlock are teenagers with very different lives and dreams, but they learn to live while growing up together and becoming the best that has ever happened to one another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before John met Sherlock his life was “normal”  
> Before Sherlock met John, his life was chaotic

Before John met Sherlock his life was “normal”, he had moved to London because of his father’s job and was pleased to see that it actually was an improvement to his previous life.  This promotion had meant that he had to leave some old friends behind, like James Sholto, the captain of his rugby team, and Sarah, his best friend back at middle school, but he was really happy that this will give his family a chance to improve their income. 

When he first arrived to school he was scared, but soon he found that he was up to a good start. Mike’s father was also transferred, so it made it easier having a friend at school already.  Mike was a friend from middle school, along with James and Sarah, and they became closer once they were reunited at this new school. 

He soon met Mary, a beautiful blond girl, blue eyed and a gorgeous smile, if it weren’t for the fact that he liked boys, he could fancy her and even date her- She was the most beautiful fifteen year old girl he had ever seen.  But what kept him from being more than friends with Mary was not only the fact that she was a girl, but the fact that she had a long term boyfriend, just a year older than John.

He was so unpleasant that John didn’t even bothered to like him, but tried for Mary’s sake.  Charles Augusts Magnussen was some sort of a genius; he was tall, blonde haired, and looked a little older than he really was, he was supposed to skip some years, but fancied Mary too much, so he decided to stay for her, though John felt it was more a “keep an eye on her”, than “for his love for her”.

Then there was little Molly Hopper, a mousy girl that followed Mary everywhere, she was the youngest of the lot, only thirteen, black haired, brown eyed and skinny as only she could be. She fancied John a bit, but she dreamt on finding her perfect match, someone her own age, dark haired and maybe even green eyed. Because Molly was younger, she had different classes and John just saw her occasionally, whenever she and Mary walked home together.

John had come out to his parents on his fifteen birthday, thus following his sister’s footsteps; he had fallen in love with a boy at school but had figured out it was love because he started picturing things like kissing him and other stuff. His parents were shocked, to say the least, but soon they became more comfortable about the whole situation, and supported his son in every way, as much as they did with Harriet.

He wanted to date the boy, but he had to move to a new city, so his heart got shattered even before he could feel anything else, he had hidden himself in a shell, trying to mend a broken heart, and using sports and friends as a band aid to his pain, The years passed and he never fancied another boy that much, his pain went numb and dull, and he forgot all about him, concentrating on studying, playing sports, and dreaming on becoming a doctor.

Before Sherlock met John, his life was chaotic; though the word just scratches the surface of what his messy life really was. Yes, his parents were rich, his mother some sort of genius (working undercover for the government) and his father a prominent business man with a lot of connections, giving his sons the chance to grow worries free. Sadly, no money could prevent what had happened to him.

His life had come to a stop at age 13, because he had solved a murder. He was only 8 when he had realized that a young boy, an eleven years old swimmer called Carl Powers was murdered, poisoned in fact. Because of his age, nobody wanted to believe him, but he followed through with the story and in the end, solved the crime.

A boy, age 11, called James Moriarty had killed Powers, and successfully, got away with it, that is until Sherlock had interfered. What Sherlock wasn’t aware of, was that Moriarty had been obsessed with him since the first time he saw him, when he was only six, and on his first school day. 

A few years passed, in which Sherlock had found out he liked boys more than girls; and that his heart rate definitely got higher whenever he saw the boy he liked.  His family, being who they were, found about it soon enough, to try and help Sherlock, accepting him in every way possible, despite the fact that the little genius could be a pain in the… never mind that.

Sherlock was only thirteen when he had his heart broken for the first time, the love of his life, yes at such a short age, was killed, in the same way as Powers was. His beloved Victor Trevor was found dead and Sherlock couldn’t do anything. At this time, Sherlock had turned to drugs to numb the pain of his loss, finding them very helpful to solve riddles and clear his mind of any unnecessary sentiment, which also helped him solve Victor’s murder and catch Moriarty.

He turned Moriarty to justice, thanks to his brother Mycroft, who had just recently “acquired” a “minor job” at the government, but to achieve this, he had to hide away, and was sent abroad for almost two years. His brother had helped him get clean too, but the foreign stance had drifted them apart, and what once was a rather nice brotherly twosome, had become a family obligation to Sherlock, and a dull pain of sentiment to Mycroft.

At his return to England, Sherlock found himself where everything had happened, and relived old pains. This time, painfully for him, and thankfully for Mycroft, he was watched all the time, so his tendency to use drugs was controlled by giving him small puzzles and cases, giving him a guardian and some chemistry sets and books.

His guardian, a young cop called Gregory Lestrade was set to guard him and give him cold cases to solve in his free time. Greg had become some sort of a “friend”, though the thought of it and the sentiment involved annoyed Sherlock, at the point that he called him Gary, Gavin, George, but never Greg, settling the small battle at the acknowledgment of his last name, calling him just “Lestrade”.

But the day was to come when John and Sherlock were to meet. It was a faithful day, that neither one of them could have ever foreseen, it was faith, or as Shakespeare would phrase it … _no sooner met but they looked, no sooner looked but they loved, no sooner loved but they sighed, no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason, no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy; and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage which they will climb incontinent, or else be incontinent before marriage: they are in the very wrath of love and they will together; clubs cannot part them_.         


	2. John

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...without John knowing it, his life had changed to never be the same.

It was a day like any other; John was headed from home to school, taking his usual route through the busy streets of London.  His mind was everywhere and nowhere at the same time, he was a bit excited about this day being the first of his last high school year, and then off to Medical School, he had chosen to become an army doctor and was truly happy when he had received earlier that year his acceptance letter.

He turned off his motorcycle after pulling up in the car lot at school, his mind wondering about how this last year was going to be.  He saw some old faces and turned when his best friend Mike called him from his car.  Mike Stamford, a rather short guy, black haired, and a bit on the heavy side, had wanted to join John at the military but couldn’t, so he had to settle for going to the same medical school. 

They had been friends since middle school and to Mike; John was everything he could ask for in a friend, more than a friend, almost a brother.  Mike was as excited as much as John was, their last year of high school, and then off to the Royal Army Medical Corps, where he will be able to fulfill his dreams.

They walked together, doing some small chat, talking about what had happened during the break.  Mike had gone to visit some family members and John had stayed in London to spend one last summer with his parents, and also doing some odd jobs in order to save some money.

They ran into Molly and she grabbed them both by the arms, and started chatting about too many things at the same time. John was barely listening to her, but smiled every now and then, out of politeness than anything else. Mike tried to release himself from the grip, but was impossible, she clenched to them like a leech. Mike was relieved to see Mary out the corner of his eye and walked a little faster, almost dragging both John and Molly.

As they walked in, John saw Mary, his eyes lighted up at her sight. He had missed her so much! She was one of the few friends, along with Mike and Molly, that were truly good friends to John, and every time he saw her, he felt like he was home; the next five years will be very hard for John knowing that Mary will be home, worrying about him, while he was who knows where fighting some war.

Mary ran to John and they held each other for a couple of minutes, Mike rolled his eyes and gave them an annoyed look, while Molly froze on the spot, wishing it was her instead.

“Stop it you two” -Mike shouted- “it’s not like you haven’t seen each other for years.  Seriously John, you should ask her out now before you go off to the army, maybe even ask her to marry you” -he said jokingly.

“You know it’s not like that Mike!” -Mary said, giggling- “Be careful, you may get me into trouble, you know how jealous Charles gets when another bloke hits on me! Seriously, you should be thankful that he’s not jealous of you” -Mary said with a little worry in her voice, at the sight of her boyfriend approaching them- “Hi love” -Mary said with a sweet tone- leaning forward to kiss her boyfriend’s cheek. Charles’ grey eyes darted from Mike to John, as the latter let go of Mary’s arm.

“Hi John, Mike” -he said- a bit of anger in his voice –“how was your summer?” He didn’t bother acknowledging Molly, and as always, feeling invisible, she left to class, barely whispering a goodbye.

“It was really nice, how was yours?” Mike asked, a little bit scared and fidgety, avoiding Charles’ eyes.

“Great, as usual” -he answered coldly, putting his arm around Mary’s waist and resting his head on top of hers.

John was watching the scene, wanting to punch Magnussen on the face, not only because he managed to make everyone uncomfortable, but because, yet again, he had hurt Molly’s feelings, having her leaving her friends, teary eyed and looking hurt. He stopped himself, because he saw Mary’s bright smile; calming down, he released his clenched fists and tried to relax.

He knew Magnussen was able to know whatever he was feeling, reading him almost like an open book, that was why Magnussen was never bothered with him spending time with his girl, he knew from the first time he saw John, that he liked boys. Mike, on the other hand, was infatuated with Mary, and was oblivious to John’s sexual preferences.

John wondered what Mike would have said if he knew, maybe their friendship will end, maybe he would understand, he gave a stern look to Mike and felt Magnussen’s eyes on him.

“So, John?” Magnussen inquired. John looked back “Fine” -he said coldly- “just fine”

The bell rang and Magnussen lead Mary to her classroom, kissing her goodbye, patting softly the back of her head. John went in to the classroom with his friends.  Their first class went uneventful. Professor Holmes classes were always so interesting; he had loved every single one of them since the day he was transferred.

Mycroft Holmes was a distant man, but a damn good professor.  Science never was the same for John after he first met him; Professor Holmes was the reason why John decided to become a doctor, a science man, he wanted to be, in some way, like his mysterious professor.  The dark haired man was tall, blue eyed, and had the same piercing look that Magnussen had, a little bit softer but equally unnerving, John could have sworn that his teacher was a mind reader. 

Maybe it could have something to do with the fact that Professor Holmes used to work for the government, maybe it was that he was as clever as hell and that John was absolutely transparent; all that was clear to John was that he was inspired by the man and that he admired him, he maybe even had a little crush on him.

After science, John went to his next class leaving Mary and Mike behind; all of his classes were advanced, so he saw Mike and Mary just for science and English, and of course at lunch time. Once he entered the room, he sat at the back, as usual, dreading the fact that he hated her math teacher, Miss Anthea, professor Holmes’ fiancé, he was so glad this was the last he will see of her, a few more months and he’ll be off leaving behind the dreaded math class.

John was thinking how much he hated math when suddenly, without John knowing it, his life had changed to never be the same.  He was fighting with his backpack, trying to get his math book out of it. “Just get the damn book out” John breathed; he knew it was just a way to distract himself from the idea of having to endure a whole hour with Miss Anthea. He loved math, but hated it because of Anthea.

 “Excuse me?” -A low baritone voice inquired right next to him- John lifted his eyes to find himself lost in the piercing blue/green -the color of heaven?- eyes of a boy that looked like a Greek marble statue come to life. All of the sudden, John couldn’t breathe, couldn’t blink away, couldn’t even think; he tried to answer but his throat was closed, and his brain had turned into pudding.

_Is’t possible that on so little acquaintance you should like [him]? That, but seeing, you should love [him] And loving, woo? And wooing, [he] should grant? And will you persevere to enjoy [him]?_


	3. Sherlock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That morning before school, was just another dull day, little did Sherlock know that his life was about to change forever in the next few seconds.

As usual, Sherlock woke up that morning in a bad mood.  He was utterly bored, and knew that the day ahead will be as boring as most days at school, the only difference today was that he was transferred to a new school, and that this was his last year.  Yes, he was only 15, but his mind was more advanced than other people’s; actually, he was a freaking genius, who was he kidding? So he was intellectually ahead of kids his own age, that’s why his parents had decided he will skip a few years and start his last high school year right away.

His brother Mycroft managed to get him in the same school he was teaching, promising Sherlock that they will avoid each other as much as possible. Mycroft wasn’t willing to argue with his baby brother, and decided that it was best to stay out of each other’s way.  The decision was made without Sherlock’s opinion, and he was in such a foul mood that he even threatened on not coming back from his stay out of the country, then remembered that he was sent abroad without his consent and decided to go back just to spite his brother.

Sherlock knew that his brother was working for the government and that his teaching position was more a façade than anything else, when he announced that he was staying at school, that he loved teaching, Sherlock knew that it was also to keep an eye on him, and hopefully, avoid the situation they had to live through after what happened with his latest “enemy”, the little James Moriarty.

Mycroft drove Sherlock to school, a bit concerned with his brother’s wits, knowing that his undeveloped social skills, as he qualified his little brother’s lack of social enthusiasm, could get him into more trouble. 

Sure he had agent, codename “Anthea” as a teacher there, her cover up being a math teacher and his “fiancé”, so no one would suspect when they saw them being close and “chatty”. There was also the rookie police detective, Gregory Lestrade, Mycroft’s actual fiancé, to take care of Sherlock. Lestrade was supposed to be a P.E. teacher that would take care of him, and since Professor Holmes was a “specialist” on self-defence, he was able to talk to Greg, and “assist” his lessons.

He had other agents on site, posing as gardeners, bus drivers, security agents, and other odd jobs, but nevertheless, he was concerned, his brother’s safety was very important to him. “Your loss would break my heart” Mycroft thought to himself.

“Stop worrying” -Sherlock said with a firm voice, yet concerned- “I’m going to be alright, nothing is going to happen, and if it does” -Sherlock said looking directly at his brother’s eyes and attempting a smile- “You’ll be there to take care of me”.

Mycroft smiled and left Sherlock at the gate, and then went off to park his car. Sherlock walked in, searching for his first classroom. He was surprised when he realised it was a science class, but that his brother wasn’t his teacher, he was supposed to be attending advanced classes, but, sighed contently that his brother had kept his promise.

Feeling more relaxed, he tried to enjoy himself. He sat at the back of the class and took out his anatomy book.  The teacher was a bit annoyed, but after hearing his name, Sherlock was pretty much allowed to do as he pleased. He wondered how much money his family had “donated” to the school to allow the youngest Holmes to skip grades and be treated almost like royalty.

The class was boring, more than usual; nothing new to learn from the dullest science teacher ever, either way, he tried his best not act as a “smug bastard”, he already had dealt with such commentaries before, though must of the times he just couldn’t cope with the fact that people was just so stupid! He couldn’t believe they had everything in front of them and never seemed to notice what was obvious to his eyes.

His lack of social skills -more lack of interest in socializing with idiotic useless people- gave him enough problems to last a lifetime, after his very first day of school ever, his brother had decided that Sherlock should learn self-defence, in order to protect himself from the always incoming attacks of people that just didn’t understood him.     

But after what happened with Jim, and that he had to leave the country to let things cool down, while losing part of his life in the process, Sherlock had decided to shut himself up, and stop trying to make friends, to feel love, and even trying to teach people to truly see, he had stopped pointing out the obvious. He was supposed to be “enjoying life” as it came, though it was too hard to do when he was surrounded by a bunch of idiots.

After the class was dismissed, he went looking for the other classroom. He was surprised to see “Anthea” there, and supposed that it was part of his brother’s plan to keep him safe. He had to keep an eye on him somehow, so he accepted her presence and looked for a seat as far as possible from her.  He decided to sit in the back so he could read as much as he wanted, knowing that she would let him do as he pleased.

That morning before school, was just another dull day, little did Sherlock know that his life was about to change forever in the next few seconds.  He saw a boy struggling to get something from his bag.  He was blond, a little shorter than him, but also a bit older, surely 17, a senior like he; he had a broad back and big hands, a sportsman.

Sherlock was certain that he had a sibling, maybe a sister, yes, an older sister, for the looks of the black and grey stripped backpack, he kept it for sentimental reasons, she must be older, estranged from the family nucleus; his father was in the military and his mother was a housewife, the neatly ironed uniform spoke volumes about his mother, and the dog tags latched to the backpack must have belonged to his father, but his father was alive, there were still two dog tags, why his father? because mostly family kept military dog tags. 

His posture suggested that he was going to follow his father’s steps and become an army man, his movements were those of a soldier; it also suggested that he was willing to be everywhere but there, he probably hated math, or maybe the teacher? Suddenly, while Sherlock was analysing his new classmate, he heard a voice; it was a whisper, but it startled Sherlock and drew him back to reality.

“Just get the damn book out” the voice said in a scolding way, Sherlock didn’t know what the other boy was talking about so he approached and asked with a soft but firm voice “Excuse me?”. The other boy turned and locked his gaze with Sherlock’s. His eyes were of a soft blue, seemingly the color of a clear blue sky, Sherlock felt the time stop right then and there, he got lost on those eyes, the boy was looking at him with a lost expression, but he couldn’t get away from those eyes, he had found heaven.

_Cupid have mercy, not a word?_


	4. First day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second they held hands both boys felt the world tremble at their feet, it was as if the earth had opened and they were the only ones left in the world, though it lasted an instant, the tingling feeling of the recent touch lasted for what seemed to be the beginning of a new eternity.

They looked at each other’s eyes for what seemed like an eternity.  Then Miss Anthea’s voice broke off the spell momentarily when she ordered both of them to seat once and for all.

“Um, yeah, sorry” John muttered, and sat back. 

Sherlock just obeyed, unable to take his eyes off of the other boy.  He moved his eyes from the other boy’s eyes to his face, trailing down from his ears to his mouth, such a gorgeous mouth! Thin lips, but full at the same time, a strong face, but with such a soft gaze, the perfect nose! and a few stray hairs on his forehead.  He had a bit of a suntan, and his hands seemed strong, yet delicate, he was used to work, his body suggested that, and he enjoyed it.

John felt Sherlock’s eyes traveling all over his face and body and felt a little hot, a bit of red tinting his cheeks, he kept looking at those eyes, those beautiful eyes, and then noticed the rest of Sherlock’s face and body.  He was thin, a bit taller than he was; his face was long, lips full, and those cheekbones! It seemed as if they were chiselled from marble to produce such gorgeous feature.  The long neck and his pale skin where making John nervous, and really aroused! He looked down and found his hands, long fingered hands, they looked so soft and fragile; they were so beautiful! All of a sudden John found himself fantasizing with those hands roaming all over his body.

Ms. Anthea tried to bring the boys out to the real world scolding them for not paying attention.  She urged John to come to the whiteboard and solve and exercise, but John was too mesmerized to be able to understand what their teacher was talking about.  A sudden noise brought him back and realised he was being called up front. 

“Mr. Watson! For the last time! Come over to the whiteboard!” Ms. Anthea shouted, hitting the desk; reluctantly, John left Sherlock’s side and went over to his teacher, glancing back to keep Sherlock on sight. He tried so hard to concentrate but all he could see were those eyes, those lips, those cheekbones, those hands, oh God, what was going on? He was lost. Right then and there, he knew his life will never be the same.

Sherlock sat back at the sound and saw John leave his side, he felt his heart ache from the unexpected distance and saw the boy walk over to the whiteboard; he noticed he was stressed and distracted and offered to help.  Ms. Anthea allowed him to approach the board and Sherlock put one hand over John’s shoulder and the other over John’s hand.

It took John a moment to realise he was being held by Sherlock, Sherlock moved his hand over John’s and started solving the math problem explaining how to do it to the whole class.  John snapped out of his zombie-like state and helped Sherlock with the rest of the problem, trying to keep with Sherlock’s brain and hand.  He could hear Sherlock’s heartbeat going faster than it should, and at the same time he felt his own heart beating madly out of control, trying to escape his body.

After the problem was solved, they went back to their seats, John following Sherlock closely. Ms. Anthea gave some other exercises and examples and asked the students to solve them quietly and hand them by the end of the class.  John tried to concentrate but couldn’t, then heard Sherlock’s voice near his ear.

“Don’t worry John, I’ll help you”.

The low baritone voice travelled all over his body, causing him to shiver. John couldn’t respond, he just nodded, automatically. 

“By the way, my name is Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes”

After hearing the name John was brought back to reality as if he was slapped in the face. Holmes, Holmes? He is a Holmes? John’s mind was going crazy, was he related to his favourite teacher? How? Oh God, he was a Holmes! A freaking Holmes!

“My name is John Watson” he said, almost as a whisper.

“So I heard” -Sherlock chuckled- “It’s really nice to meet you John” –Sherlock extended his free hand to him.

At first John didn’t know what to do, but at last he shook Sherlock’s hand “Nice to meet you too, Sherlock”.

The second they held hands both boys felt the world tremble at their feet, it was as if the earth had opened and they were the only ones left in the world, though it lasted an instant, the tingling feeling of the recent touch lasted for what seemed to be the beginning of a new eternity.  Sherlock held John’s hand a bit longer learning the size and the overall feeling of John’s hand in his.  John felt Sherlock’s soft touch and wanted to kiss that hand and run it all over his face and body.

As soon as they released each other, they stepped back to reality and started doing their classwork. It was hard at first, but John had managed to make his brain function again. As for Sherlock, he still felt waves of what seemed like electricity pass through his entire body, but managed to keep his stone face and focus on the job ahead.

Sherlock was a very good teacher, and John ended up loving math like he never thought he will ever do.  The time went fast, and the class was over, a little too soon John thought to himself. 

“Don’t worry” -Sherlock said with a soft voice- “we have all of our classes together, except for science. But I’ve decided that I’m going to ask for a change and take that class with you too”

John was taken aback by Sherlock’s words, was he reading his mind? He was a Holmes, so maybe he did! When he was finally able to come to his senses, he looked questioningly to Sherlock “how did you…?” 

He was cut off by an astonishing smile “Once you’ve decided you really like me, I’ll explain everything, but for now, come, we are getting late”

John nodded and followed Sherlock to the next class.  The day went faster than both boys had expected, but by the end of the day, John was feeling more comfortable and secure around Sherlock and was finally able to speak as much as he would have done with anybody else.

“You have to tell me how you did to know we had the same classes” John demanded

“Easy, John, I observed” Sherlock said nonchalantly, trying not to look so smug “We have the same books, so, I guessed we have the same classes, at least for today…”

John was amazed “God… That was BRILLIANT!” He smiled at Sherlock and felt like kissing him. He dismissed the eagerness, remembering first and foremost that he was a Holmes, secondly, that he just met the boy, thirdly, that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t feeling the same.

“Come on, let’s go, I’ll buy you lunch” John said smiling, Sherlock followed happily. 

After the final ring, they went outside and John was met by his friends. Mary ran to hug John as soon as she saw him, and Mike was close behind; little Molly tried to follow, but the sight of Sherlock had frozen her, she was stupefied, maybe as much as John was when he first saw Sherlock.

Sherlock stood there and froze at the sight of Mary hugging John. 'I had it all wrong, How could I have been so wrong, but all the signs were there, maybe I’m just so stupid', Sherlock thought to himself.

John noticed Sherlock’s discomfort, so he took Mary’s hand and went over to Sherlock to introduce them. “Sherlock” -John said, while Sherlock’s heart started to sink low in his stomach- “this is Mary Morstan” -Sherlock was waiting anxiously for the next few words –girlfriend, fiancé, love of my life, what?- “my best friend in the whole wide world” John finished with a smile and Sherlock let out his breath, he was finally able to breathe again. “Mary, this is Sherlock Holmes, my…” John shifted uncomfortably, not knowing how to introduce him

“Nice to meet you Sherlock” -Mary said with her sweet voice, cutting John and approaching Sherlock, she had noticed the effect this boy had on his friend, and she loved it!- “You look so lovely with those curls” she said hugging Sherlock, while running her hand through his luscious curls. “I like you for John!” she said, tugging on John’s side. John blushed slightly and looked down trying to hide his embarrassment.

After a while Mike and Molly approached them and John introduced both to Sherlock. Mike shook Sherlock’s hand while Molly hid behind John, not knowing what to do and how to react. Sherlock stretched his hand out, but Molly just giggled, hiding further behind John, her face turning to every colour known to men. John asked Sherlock if he wanted a ride home, but Sherlock shook his head, he had to wait for his brother.

“So, Mr. Homes is your brother?” Mary beamed

“He’s our favourite teacher!” Mike finished.

“Yes, he’s my older brother, but not my favourite teacher, though I hope I enjoy his classes, since I’ll be taking them from tomorrow”

“That’s so great” Mary said, “We’ll make a great lot together!”

John felt sad when Sherlock said no, but his heart beat fast when Sherlock hugged him goodbye and whispered in his ear that he will be waiting for tomorrow to see him again, then slipped in John’s hand his phone number and address and asked the other boy to call him when he wanted.  John smiled at Sherlock and waved goodbye walking with his friends to the car lot.

_Oh, I know where you are. Nay, ’tis true. There was never anything so sudden but the fight of two rams and Caesar’s thrasonical brag of “I came, saw, and overcame.”_


	5. Telling the parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When his phone finally beeped, John leaped to his feet, excited. He smiled to the phone, reading the text, “SH”, it sounded really nice, maybe he should start signing his future texts the same way, would Sherlock notice it?
> 
> Sherlock smiled, he had signed the text as JW! Oh, how sweet can this boy be?
> 
> “...they want to meet you soon JW! SH”
> 
> So HE did notice! My clever Sherlock!

John’s ride home was interesting, to say the least. His mind permanently set on Sherlock’s eyes. He luckily avoided running over a few pedestrians on the way, but made it home safely.  He went into the flat and called for his parents, he needed to tell them all about Sherlock. 

Thank God they were open minded, he was scared when he first came out, but by the time he did, his older sister Harriet, had already dropped the bomb on them, so they were okay with it, and were very supportive of his decision. 

As a matter of fact, the only reason that drove Harry -a pet name from John to his older sister, because when he was little he wasn’t able to pronounce her whole name- away from home was the fact that she started drinking after her last girlfriend had left her and her parents asked her to leave before she could hurt John in any way.

“Mummy? Dad? Are you home?” John shouted from the door. “Here son” -Mr. Watson said and John ran to meet his father at the living room.  Mrs. Watson was at the kitchen cooking and she turned to see her son, a smile on her face.

 “Somebody is happy today” she said jokingly.

John hugged his mother and sighed at her back “Today was the greatest day in my life!” he said; a bright smile on his face. “Today I met the most wonderful person ever! I felt as if the world had stopped the second I met him”

“What?” his father asked, “How can you be so sure he is the most wonderful you’ve ever met?” he enquired.

“Because I feel the same way you said you felt like when you first saw Mummy” John answered brightly.

Hamish hugged his son and turned to his wife “Did you hear that Lia? Our boy is in love!”

John hugged his father back before going to his room, he changed out of his uniform and put on his beloved jeans and a knit jumper, one of many his mother had given him. He came down and sat on the living room sofa, waiting for his mother to finish with dinner.  He played with his phone while trying to watch some telly; his hands itching to write Sherlock. When he finally managed to overcome his shyness, it was time for dinner, so he hurriedly sent a text and eagerly waited for an answer.

When his phone finally beeped, John leaped to his feet, excited. He smiled to the phone, reading the text, “SH”, it sounded really nice, maybe he should start signing his future texts the same way, would Sherlock notice it?

Sherlock was all fidgety in the ride back home.  Mycroft looked at him with an amused smile on his face.

“What’s going on brother dear?” Mycroft asked. Sherlock looked back at him annoyed.

“Nothing!”

“You know you can’t lie to me Sherly, what happened at school today?” 

“Don’t.call.me.Sherly.Mycroft!” Sherlock said, gritting his teeth.

“Come on Sherly!” Mycroft snared “What’s his name? And don’t lie to me; you have that… face… all flushed, and… smiley”

“Ugh! Fine, if you must know, yes, I’ve met a boy” Sherlock said, rolling his eyes, and clearly annoyed

“And his name is?” Mycroft asked, raising one eyebrow

“John Watson” Sherlock replied angrily, his brother surely was going to find out anyway so he decided to tell him instead of having him finding out about the boy he liked through the secret service

“Are you planning on telling mummy and daddy?”

“Of course, but I’m sure they will say I’m just too young for him, but I don’t care, I like him”

“I think that’s great, John is one of my best students, and I’m sure he’ll be pleased to know that you like him”

Surprised, Sherlock glanced at his brother, questioningly; he never expected such an affirmation. He remained silent for the rest of the ride.  When they pulled at their house driveway, Sherlock got of the car and ran to his mother, she was waving at them from the main door.  Sherlock hugged his mother tightly, surprising her with his behaviour. She smiled contently.

Sherlock whispered in her ear “Mummy, thank you for sending me to this new school, I love it”.  Mrs. Holmes hugged her son back and patted his back “I’m glad you liked it” she said softly, a smile on her face, “tell me honeybun, how was your day?”

“It was great mummy, is daddy home?”

“Yes, he’s at his studio, go call him and tell him to prepare for dinner, and then you can tell us both what your day was like”

“Yes mummy” Sherlock let go of his mother and went to look for his father. He knocked softly at the studio door waiting for his father to answer before coming in. Once authorized to do so, Sherlock showed his head through the open door and smiled to his father. “Hi dad” he said with a grin on his face, “Mum asked me to tell you to get ready for dinner”

“I’ll be right away son, thank you”

Sherlock walked out of his father’s office and went upstairs to his room to prepare for dinner; he changed out of his school uniform and put on his characteristic black trousers and a button up white shirt. He checked his mobile and found a text.

“Hey Sherlock, I just wanted to let you know that I made it safely home. John Watson”

His hands went all sweaty and trembling as he answered the text

“My brother was late, next time I’ll take you up on that ride. SH”

He waited for an answer but he was called to the dining room so he had to leave his phone behind, his parents weren’t very keen on using electronic devices during family time.

“Ah, there you are” his father said, “Mycroft says you have some news for us”

Sherlock swallowed hard and glanced at his brother fiercely. “Yes dad, in fact I do” he said solemnly “But first, let me thank you all for sending me to this new school, it’s great. I would like to say it is because of the teachers and the students, but except for Mycroft, all the teachers are dull, and except for John, all the students are stupid”

“John?” his parents asked in unison.

“Yes…um” Sherlock realised he said the name and hadn’t explained further, though to his parents, being how they were, the situation probably was clear by now, nevertheless, Sherlock decided to clarify his previous statement.

“As I was saying, thank you for sending me to this new school, it’s wonderful, but just because I’ve met someone”

His parents looked at him, eyes widening at the statement. Mycroft smiled reassuringly at Sherlock and he nodded back “Yes, as I was saying, I’ve met someone, his name is John Watson, 17, and as far as I can tell he is a great human being, a really interesting person, and for a change, he made my first day go great, he even made me forget…” Sherlock said looking down, repressing the memories and waiting for the scolding from his parents.

Siger and Violet laughed, letting a breath out, making Sherlock look back at them. “Oh son” Siger said looking at his wife while embracing her lovingly “I have to say this takes me by surprise, especially after all that has happened… But I must confess, I was the same age as John and your mother was your age when we first met. Oh son!” Siger beamed “I’m so happy for you!” Siger got up from his seat and went to hold his son in his arms, followed by his wife a second later.

Sherlock was surprised, and relieved at the same time, he never expected such a reaction, not after what had happened. He felt really happy. His father hugged him tightly and said to him “Just make sure you wait until you’re ready, he’s a bit older, so don’t let him force you to anything”

“I know” Sherlock replied, a red tint covering his face “Don’t worry dad, I’m sure he will protect me”. His father smiled at him and rested his hand on his shoulder; his mother kissed him softly and led him back to his chair.  They shared a nice dinner together, for the first time in a long time. When it was over, Sherlock excused himself and ran back to his room to check his phone.

He had received a text from John! He smiled and hugged his phone before opening it

“I’ve told my parents about us meeting, what do you think about it? JW”

Sherlock smiled, he had signed the text as JW! Oh, how sweet can this boy be?

“I think it’s great. I’ve told mine about you, too, they got really excited, and they want to meet you soon JW! SH”

So HE did notice! My clever Sherlock!

“What a coincidence! My parents want to meet you too! This is great! JW”

“We should plan a gathering then, I can’t wait for them to meet you! SH”

“I agree, but we should take care of business first, but I’m going to leave that for tomorrow, for now, good night dear Sherlock, See you tomorrow. JW”

Business, what business? Sherlock thought to himself while texting back. What did John meant?

“See you tomorrow my dear John. SH”

_If this be so, why blame you me to love you?_


	6. First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John smiled back feeling happy and fulfilled, capturing Sherlock’s lips with his own again for another sweet, yet passionate kiss.

The night went really slow for John, he kept thinking about Sherlock and the way he looked, reading again and again the texts they’ve sent each other

Sherlock’s night went even slower, he decided to get up and compose a song; he started thinking of John and the music just started flowing, his violin never sounded so beautiful.

Eventually, John drifted away holding his phone, dreaming about Sherlock’s eyes.  His alarm startled him and it took him some time to realise it was morning already, he jumped out of bed and went to take a shower to scare the sleep that still haunted him; he got into his school uniform and went to get his bike.  He grabbed some food and said goodbye to his parents and fled out the flat like he was lifted by some invisible wings.

He stopped by a candy shop and bought Sherlock a chocolate bar filled with vanilla cream; he really hoped he liked candies, because it was his way of telling him he liked him, and the perfect excuse to ask Sherlock to be his boyfriend.

After a few sleepless hours, Sherlock settled on his bed and watched at the ceiling thinking of John, he dozed off for a couple of hours and got up before his father came to wake him up.  He was ready to go by the time Mycroft came to drove him to school.

He asked Mycroft to stop by a candy shop and went in to buy John some candy, he got him some strawberry flavoured candies, knowing that John would like them, he had noticed some strawberry candies wrapping on John’s blazer pocket. They were meant to be a token of affection, to show John that he liked him and that he wanted him to be his boyfriend.

As soon as John pulled at the school, he went to wait for Sherlock at the main gate; he saw his friends and said hi to them rather quickly, he was nervous and fidgety, but happy at the same time.  Mary winked at him and dragged Mike and Molly away so John could have some alone time. Magnussen watched the whole scene from a distance, and he caught up with Mary after she left John at the gate.

As soon as John saw Mycroft’s car pull over he was more nervous than he could’ve ever imagined. Sherlock dashed out of the car saying goodbye to his brother and ran over to meet John.

Sherlock was really nervous, he tried to stay calm but his whole body was trembling, he approached John and hugged him, John returned the hug and smiled up. John stepped back a little to recover some of his strength, though he felt his knees faltering, and started wishing for a chair or something to sit down.

Sherlock looked down at John and smiled. “John…” he started, but was cut off by a kiss.  John was kissing him, in a soft, but firm way; Sherlock wrapped his arms around John and melted into the kiss, opening his mouth to John’s eager tongue.  Sherlock met John’s tongue and sucked and bit it softly, then released himself from John’s lips.

John moaned a little at Sherlock’s bite, and enjoyed the kiss fully.  When Sherlock parted from his lips, he was left with a tingling sensation through all his body.  “John…” Sherlock started again, but John cut him off by blurting out “want to be my boyfriend Sherlock?”

Sherlock looked down at John, his smile the brightest and happiest in the whole world “Yes, a thousand times yes!” John smiled back feeling happy and fulfilled, capturing Sherlock’s lips with his own again for another sweet, yet passionate kiss.  They walked into school holding hands.  People were looking and commenting but they couldn’t care less, they were happy and that was what mattered most.

They went to class together and Mycroft was surprised that his brother was sitting there in his class, then he saw John and the way they were looking at each other and everything fell into place.  By lunch time, a lot of people had congratulated them for being together, others had expressed their discomfort, but they really didn’t care. 

At lunch time Mary approached them and hugged them both, excited to see John so happy, Mike on the other hand felt a bit odd watching them hold hands. Jealousy had won the best of Mike.

John felt sad for his reaction, but Mary assured him that everything will turn alright, that Mike just needed some time. Molly on the other hand sat down at their table, her eyes filled with tears; she barely ate, and avoided their concerned gazes. Before lunch time was over, she excused herself and ran out the cafeteria, not looking back, them being all mushy and lovey-dovey had broken her little heart. (Boys can be really dense sometimes, oblivious actually)

The day went by really fast, and all of a sudden, they had to go home.  Sherlock let Mycroft know that he was going home with John, and that they will see each other later. Mycroft let Sherlock go after giving John a really long and scary speech about safety, safe driving, “helmet” wearing and what not.  John smiled at Mycroft, and assured him that everything was going to be alright, that his “baby brother” was in good hands.

John took Sherlock’s hand and guided him to the car lot, he jumped on his bike and gave Sherlock his spare helmet, it smelled like perfume, but Sherlock remembered that it was Mary’s scent, so he felt less annoyed by the smell.

“Hang on to me my sweetheart” John said earnestly.  Sherlock smiled and nodded, and put his arms around John’s waist.  John drove through London and a few minutes later, he pulled in front of the Holmes’ estate.  He was amazed by the size of the house, but he already knew that the Holmes were a wealthy family so he wasn’t so surprised.


	7. Dinner at the Holmes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Penny for your thoughts” Sherlock said into his ear. John shivered and turned to look at Sherlock, returning his embrace, holding him tightly by the waist. “I was thinking about your father and brother, I really hope they’ll like me” Sherlock chuckled and looked down, kissing John’s lips softly. “I’m sure they will my dear”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey loves! Two chapters today. I had time over the weekend. Hope you enjoy them!

When they pulled over, Sherlock felt a bit self-conscious about his house, and hoped John wouldn’t make a fuss about it. He got of the bike and invited John to the house.  His mother was in the living room and as soon as she heard the door, she turned around to see her son with a smile.  Sherlock went to kiss his mother, something he’d picked up because he felt grateful to her every day, and introduced John to her.

“Very pleased to meet you John, I’m Violet Holmes, but you may call me Vi; or mum, whatever you like”

“Nice to meet you Mrs. Holmes… Vi…olet…?” John said nervously, looking at the beautiful, tall, blue eyed woman, she had curly black hair and a thin complexion, cheekbones similar to Sherlock’s, with thin, artsy hands, and a witty smile.

“Would you be staying for dinner John?” Violet asked, Sherlock’s father and brother will be here soon 

“Sure Mrs. Holmes, I’d love to! Just let me call my parents first to let them know I’ll be staying for dinner”

John went out of the living room to call home. His mother asked him to be careful and to call as soon as he was leaving Sherlock’s place, John was feeling happy, but really nervous at the same time. From his classes he knew Professor Holmes was a great man, but being socially involved with him was nerve-wracking.  He was lost in the thought when he felt Sherlock’s arms around his waist.

“Penny for your thoughts” Sherlock said into his ear. John shivered and turned to look at Sherlock, returning his embrace, holding him tightly by the waist. “I was thinking about your father and brother, I really hope they’ll like me” Sherlock chuckled and looked down, kissing John’s lips softly. “I’m sure they will my dear”

“By the way” Sherlock said close to John’s lips “I bought you something, and I was supposed to give it to you this morning, but… anyway, here I hope you like it” Sherlock handed John a little bag of strawberry candies. John smiled when he saw the present, giving Sherlock a quick kiss on the cheek. “I love strawberry candies! How did you know?”

“Well” Sherlock sighed “It was a long shot, I just imagined you may like them” he lied. John started laughing and felt the colour rise to his cheeks.

“Actually, I bought this for you, I thought it might be a nice touch before asking you to go steady, but instead I kissed you, I just couldn’t help it”. John handed Sherlock the chocolate bar, “I hope you like”.

Sherlock smiled widely, he wasn’t much of a candy eater, or really an eater for that matter, but his heart warmed at the gesture, he hugged the chocolate bar and gave John a quick peck. “Thank you dear, I love it! I guess I’ll eat it for dessert”

They were holding each other and exchanging sweet kisses when the front door opened. John was startled when he felt the cold London air through the door, and turned around to see his teacher and an older version of Sherlock coming in, the same piercing eyes, deep blue, the hands thin and the overall thin complexion.

“So this must be John” Siger said with a smile.

“Yes dad, this is John Watson, John, this is my father, Siger Holmes”

“Very nice to meet you Sir” John shook Siger’s hand and turned to Mycroft “Good afternoon Professor Holmes, it’s nice to see you”

“Good afternoon John” Mycroft said trying to smile, nodding at John; passing them by to greet his mother.

“Come boys” Violet called from the dining room.

Sherlock took John’s hand and lead him to the dining room. Dinner went nice and uneventful, though for a moment John felt as if he was being questioned by the local police.  Sherlock’s parents asked John all about his family, and all about his future plans. When the “interrogation” began, Sherlock looked annoyed, but then realised that he himself, already knew about John’s plans, but it was better to hear them from John himself.

John answered every question, but then realised that some of his plans may go against his new relationship with Sherlock. The moment he heard himself that he had applied to the Royal Army Medical Corps, he felt a sudden pain in his chest and he was out of breath, he didn’t want to leave Sherlock, but at the same time he wanted to fulfil his dreams, he felt torn apart and looked down trying to breathe and stop the tears he knew were coming.

Sherlock noticed John getting quiet suddenly, he squeezed John’s hand and whispered to his ear “Don’t worry dear, It’ll be okay, we’ll figure it out”. John wondered how Sherlock could read him like an open book, he felt Sherlock’s hand in his, but couldn’t help feeling sad, what will he do away from Sherlock?

After dinner, John said goodbye to the Holmes, promising Sherlock that they will have dinner with his parents on Thursday, so they could spend Friday together doing something they’ll both would enjoy.  Sherlock hugged and kissed John, holding him tightly; John returned the kiss and went over to his bike, turning it on.  


	8. Dinner at the Watsons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They texted each other almost all night, wishing they were together, and fantasizing about days to come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The other chapter as promised. I'll try to update sooner, but real life is major pain in my... Thanks for reading!

On the ride home he couldn’t stop thinking about Sherlock, and his future and how he was already head over heels with this boy.  Yes, he was younger, but it gave them more time to grow old together, and get to know each other better, he wanted to be with Sherlock for the rest of his life. What started as a suspicion, soon became a confirmation, he loved Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock waved goodbye, and saw John disappear behind the curve, he went back inside and ran to his room holding his phone in one hand and the chocolate bar in the other.  He kept on seeing John’s face in the back of his mind, now he was certain that this wasn’t just infatuation, it was love, Sherlock Holmes was in love with John Watson, then realised he was about to lose him to the army in a few months.

He felt a pang at the bottom of his stomach, but tried to keep calm, he had a few years before John had to leave, so he decided to enjoy them the best he could.  He felt his phone vibrate in his hand, it was a text from John

“Hi dear, just got home, how are you? JW”    

“I’m fine, thinking about you, and your beautiful eyes, your gorgeous smile and those lips of yours. How are you? SH”

“Just fine. Been thinking about you too. Miss you already, wish you were here. JW”

“Really? Want to stay at my place on Friday? I want to show you my room! SH”

“I’d love too! See you tomorrow love? JW”

There, he had used the “L” word. And now he had to wait for Sherlock’s response.  He was very nervous; it seemed as if hours had passed before Sherlock texted back, but it was less than a minute

“Of course love! See you tomorrow. I love you. SH”

Sherlock was so surprised by the text that he felt his heart flip and turn in his chest, it was the first time someone other than his mother had called him love: not even Victor had got that close, so he decided to test the boundaries, he texted John back and waited for an answer, smiling widely and looking at the phone like a hungry puppy waiting for food

“I love you too. JW”

Sherlock stared at the screen feeling like he was in cloud nine. John smiled happily at his phone, wishing for tomorrow.

After another really long night, it was time to meet Sherlock again; John waited for him at the school gate, and ran to meet him as soon as he saw him.  Sherlock kissed John passionately and took his hand to enter school.  The day went faster than expected and John took Sherlock home wishing he could stay, but had to help his parents before dinner tomorrow.

They texted each other almost all night, wishing they were together, and fantasizing about days to come. The next day, after school was over, John took Sherlock back to his place to introduce him to his parents.

Back at the Watson’s flat, Sherlock felt like he was home.  John’s mother was very kind and sweet, her eyes were a bit sad, but very loving, she sure was sad for the loss of her daughter; some photographs on the wall revealed that it was a family of four, and that the older daughter went missing from the picture a few years ago; something Sherlock already knew from John’s backpack.

As soon as they stepped on the living room, John’s mother hugged her son and then introduced herself to Sherlock. “Nice to meet you Sherlock” She said smiling “I’m Amelia Watson, but everybody calls me Lia”; she hugged Sherlock and kissed him on both cheeks. “You’ve found a cute one son” she said looking both of them up and down “You sure make a nice couple boys!”

John grinned and looked over at Sherlock, he was blushing and he looked so cute! John’s father greeted them with a smile. “Hamish Watson” he said, holding his hand out to Sherlock, the boy shook his hand “nice to meet you Sir, Sherlock Holmes”. 

The firm handshake confirmed Sherlock’s suspicion about John’s father, he was an ex-army man, surely consecrated, with a tinsy bit of a  limp on his left leg, probably a war wound, he used to work with his hands, a labour man, he had a temper but was able to control it, a family man, sad for the loss of his daughter, but hopeful because it was obvious she was still alive, some recent photographs laid on the top of the chimney, maybe last Christmas, were a dead giveaway.

Sherlock had to shake his head to stop over analysing, he didn’t want to scare John; he wanted to wait a bit before letting John know his brain worked nonstop analysing everything he felt, saw and heard. Besides, his ability had caused problems before, and he wanted to keep John as safe as possible. 

That’s why he didn’t tell him that his friend Mike was jealous of his relationship with both himself and Mary, and that he feared that these relationships would break them apart. He was still pondering about the truth about Mary, and deciding if he will ever tell him that Mary was being abused by her boyfriend; he also kept the secret that Molly was infatuated with both of them, and that she had disappeared because she couldn’t bare seeing them together, just yet.

Magnussen was quite a character, and Sherlock knew that he was an over analyser, but that he used this ability to abuse people instead of using it for the better good, at least Sherlock tried to help, even though most times he was conceived as aggravating, or in plain words, a “fucking prick”. Magnussen on the other hand, was a bully and enjoyed hurting people.

During dinner Sherlock tried his best to act as a “normal” person, but John was on to him, and asked several times if he was alright, he excused himself by telling John that he was nervous and that he should be okay once dinner was over, but his mind was memorizing everything at John’s house.

Sherlock managed to answer each and every question that was directed to him by his new boyfriend’s parents, they ranged from his age to his religious beliefs, to the effect he hand on John’s demeanour. At some point, they even settled on getting to know his family and he had agreed, considering it a future plan.  


	9. First time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Stay with me tonight, please” Sherlock said pleadingly. Only John could get a “please” from Sherlock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> had some time today. Hope you enjoy it. It's a bit long, but I might be posting again in a week... so here.

After they pulled over at Sherlock’s, John noticed that Sherlock didn’t realise they were at his house already.  He turned back to his boyfriend with a worried smile; he’d been acting a little weird the whole afternoon.

“Hey love, we’re at your place already” John said softly, touching Sherlock’s hand.  It seemed as if Sherlock wasn’t there and John started to worry.  He shook Sherlock just a little to try and snap him out of his daze, Sherlock startled and fixed his eyes on John’s face and smiled, he had found a way to calm his mind down!

“Are you okay?”

“Yes love, why?”

“You seem a bit… off, that’s all”

“Oh no, my mind was just elsewhere, sorry. I’m fine”

“Sure?”

“Yes love, sorry, it’s just…”

“Yes?”

“Well, it’s just… you… and I… and… it’s just…” Sherlock looked down knowing that he would have to show his true self to John very soon

“Just what Sherlock?” John felt his heart sink into his stomach, thinking that maybe Sherlock didn’t like his house, or his parents, that maybe something had made him reconsider the idea of dating him, or that maybe he was trying to find the words to end everything before it even started

“Just…” Sherlock looked down avoiding John’s gaze. “Sometimes my mind wanders of, and I keep on thinking about everything all the time” He said sadly “Just for once I wish I was different, I wish I was “normal”, I wish…” His voice broke and a few tears streamed down his eyes. “I’m just afraid that if you get to know me better, you are going to leave me”

John got off his bike and hugged Sherlock. “Don’t cry love” John ran his fingers over Sherlock’s cheeks to capture the tears. “Everything’s alright, don’t worry, I’m here, and I’m always going to be here”, he said with a smile. “Besides, I’m never going to let you go, I love you! And no matter what, I’ll always will, so please trust me; there is nothing you can say that will make me stop loving you”. John kissed Sherlock over and over, his kisses becoming more and more passionate.  Sherlock opened his mouth and sucked John’s tongue, he swirled their tongues together and held John closer, opening his legs for him to get him closer, embracing John with his legs.

John tried to think clearly and pull apart, but his body was detached from his mind, and all he wanted was to feel Sherlock’s hands all over his body. He wanted this from the moment they met. John felt his body tingling and his hands started to run all over Sherlock’s back, he clenched to Sherlock’s head with one hand, the other grabbing Sherlock’s arse tugging it firmly.  Sherlock complied and responded hungrily grabbing John’s crotch with one hand and his arse with the other.

“Stay with me tonight, please” Sherlock said pleadingly. Only John could get a “please” from Sherlock. John looked at him, eyes filled with lust and nodded “Lead the way love” he said with a husky voice.  They got into Sherlock’s house, holding each other as close as they could, sharing quick kisses.  As soon as they were in Sherlock’s room, John started undressing him desperately, and then an alarm was set off in the back of his mind, he stopped cold and looked directly at Sherlock

“Are you sure you want to do this?” He asked nervously

“Yes, love, I’ve been sure since the moment I first saw you”

“I’m not really experienced, I’ve never done this before” John’s said blushing hard

 “Well… I’ve never done this either, but I love you and I want you to be my first… and my only” Sherlock said breathlessly, blushing even harder

Those words worked like a trigger in John’s mind, he continued undressing Sherlock with shaky hands. “I really wanted to wait but you are so damn gorgeous, that I have no idea how I did not to take you from the moment I first saw you”

Sherlock smiled and took John’s jumper off, moving his hands over John’s shirt unbuttoning it. His hands were trembling but managed to open every button in record time, sliding the shirt off of John’s shoulders afterwards.

He stepped away a little contemplating John’s strong torso, sliding his hands up and down, caressing him softly. John felt like fire was rising inside him, Sherlock’s hands against his skin felt so hot, and yet so soft at the same time.  John breathed heavily through his nose trying to keep calm, trying not to throw Sherlock to the floor.  He pushed Sherlock softly, not breaking the kiss until they both hit the bed

Sherlock lost his balance and fell with a light thud on top of his bed, pulling John along with him. He grabbed John’s neck and kissed him fiercely, trying to convey how much he loved and wanted John in one kiss.  John parted from Sherlock’s lips gasping for some air and looked Sherlock in the eyes.  Sherlock seemed nervous, but at the same time his eyes talked clearly to John, he was ready, and John was the one.

John straddled Sherlock and pushed him further into the bed, hovering over him, kissing his soft pale skin with hungry kisses, nipping his neck, biting and licking, marking the pale skin. Sherlock responded with the same desire, undoing John’s trousers. John slid his hands up to Sherlock’s neck and started opening his shirt, tugging it out from his trousers. He moved his hands to Sherlock’s back lifting him slightly to take the shirt off.  His eyes wandered over Sherlock’s naked torso caressing every inch of his boyfriend’s chest.

Sherlock moaned softly, whispering John’s name, losing himself under the soft touch, John was lavishing Sherlock’s body with kisses and caresses, using the moment to calm himself down, being both first time, he wanted it to be as special, and as amorous as possible.  He finally undid Sherlock’s trousers and slid them out Sherlock’s long legs; he took his time to caress every inch of Sherlock’s body. He stood up and his trousers fell to his ankles, remembering that they both still had their shoes on.

He toed his shoes out and took off his socks; he didn’t want anything between him and Sherlock.  Sherlock followed John’s example and took his own shoes and socks, letting his trousers fall to the floor next to rest of his clothing. John climbed to bed and hugged Sherlock tightly, very close to his chest; he wanted to feel Sherlock’s skin against his.   

They both shivered and sighed feeling each other, caressing every part of their bodies.  Sherlock moved up to capture John’s lips, placing himself under the other boy, he slowly slid his fingers across John’s hips, tugging them on John’s boxers, John twitched a little under Sherlock’s touch and moved his hands to take Sherlock’s boxers off.  He moved down trailing kisses all over Sherlock’s neck and chest, going all the way down to his hips, and his legs.

Sherlock trembled under the touch, feeling his arousal growing harder, enjoying every kiss and every touch; he ran his fingers through John’s scalp, massaging his head thoroughly.  John’s touch melted him, it was so soft, he felt as if heaven had opened and nothing existed in the world but him and John

“Kiss me John, please” Sherlock pleaded.  John travelled back to Sherlock’s lips and kissed slowly, savouring his mouth.  Sherlock moved his hands down to take John’s boxers off.  John moaned softly and moved his hips to aid Sherlock with the task.  Once they both were naked, John moved away from Sherlock’s lips to admire his body.  He was amazed by the beauty he saw, it seemed as if Sherlock was made of marble, chiselled perfectly from the stone, every part of his was perfect, the soft pale skin was beautiful and contrasted perfectly with his dark curly hair, those beautiful eyes and his cherry like lips.

Sherlock looked John up and down, memorizing every inch of his body. He had some muscles going on, he looked beautiful and strong, matching perfectly with his constitution, he was suntanned; his skin looked like it was bathed with honey, contrasting with his own pale skin.  He touched John’s stomach softly, drawing with his fingers John’s abdominal muscles.

John moved slowly and straddled Sherlock, massaging his legs with his hands. He knew they both needed to relax before trying anything; he didn’t want to hurt Sherlock. Sherlock moved his hand all the way down to John’s crotch, cradling his engorged cock, stroking it up and down slowly.

John felt like a fire going through his entire body and breathed heavily, moving down to kiss Sherlock, at this point, even when neither had much experience, nature was guiding them, he pulled apart and started licking his fingers, then moved his hand under Sherlock and stared massaging his entrance, slowly, feeling Sherlock relax as he did it.

Once Sherlock’s entrance was relaxed, he pushed one finger in and started moving it softly. Sherlock stiffened at the feeling, but the sensation was more pleasurable that scary and relaxed more, then John pushed another finger in and started moving them a little faster, teasing Sherlock with his movements. Sherlock got lost in the feeling and enjoyed the moment, knowing that whatever was coming was going to be better.  Once Sherlock was relaxed and stretched, John pulled his fingers out, leaving a disappointed Sherlock wanting for more

He hovered over Sherlock and started kissing him softly on the lips, he held Sherlock’s hips and pushed himself in, very slowly, kissing Sherlock, feeling him trembling, trying as much as he could not to hurt him. He felt some pain himself, but kept pushing slowly in until he was fully inside of Sherlock. 

Sherlock’s eyes widened at the feeling of John inside of him, trying to relax and breathe through the pain, he felt John’s soft lips on his kissing him slowly, helping him to relax. They both stayed still for a moment, kissing each other

“Are you okay?” John asked against Sherlock’s lips

“Yes, it hurt a little but it feels amazing having you inside me” Sherlock said mumbling

“It feels amazing to be inside of you, but I don’t want to hurt you, if you feel any pain or discomfort let me know. We can wait as much as you like”

“I’m really okay love, thank you for waiting, but I’m ready”

John kissed Sherlock again and started thrusting slowly, holding Sherlock to keep him close to his body, kissing his neck, his hands in Sherlock’s hips.  Sherlock moved his hands all over John’s back and neck, kissing every piece of skin he could get, moaning with every thrust.

John moved to Sherlock’s ear and whispered “I love you Sherlock, I love you so much, from the moment I saw you I loved you, and now I know that I was made for you, to be just with you until I die, I love you, I love you”

Sherlock felt a tear falling in his shoulder as the tears started running down his cheeks, he moved to look John in the eyes, and whispered “I love you John, I love you too, with all my heart, my soul, my mind, and my entire body, I love you forever and beyond, you are my soul, my peace, you’re my home John Watson, I love you”

John kissed Sherlock again, moving faster, feeling his orgasm coming fast, he wanted Sherlock to finish with him, so he pressed his chest against Sherlock’s erection, giving him the friction he needed, he moved until he hit Sherlock’s soft spot, and felt Sherlock’s body tremble with pleasure and kissed him to stop the scream that attempted to scape Sherlock’s mouth muffling his own sounds.  They both came at the same time, holding each other tightly, crying each other’s names in between kisses.

“Please don’t move an inch” Sherlock asked with a low voice

“I wasn’t planning on doing so” John said with a smile.

John rested his head on Sherlock’s neck and kept his hands on Sherlock’s shoulders. Sherlock held John close and kissed the top of his head, playfully moving his fingers around John’s ear, drawing a line down his neck and shoulder.

Once they were able to breathe normally, John moved from Sherlock and embraced him, sharing soft kisses. They started drifting off when a beeping sound startled them; it was John’s father worried about his son’s whereabouts.  John texted his father telling him he was staying at Sherlock’s.

He climbed back to bed and held Sherlock close

“Good night my Sherlock, I love you”

“Good night my John, I love you too”


	10. A brand new day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Where the hell are you Watson? ..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boring day at work = time to write about my fav couple in the world!
> 
> Hope you enjoy it... It's a short one.

The next day, John woke up startled by his phone. He tried to reach it but it wasn’t in his bedside table, it kept ringing so John tried to move from bed, but an arm was holding him firmly. A bit confused by the feeling, John opened his eyes slowly, to find himself buried under a black and curly hair shrub. The memories of last night came rushing to his mind; Sherlock was next to him, still asleep.

He kissed Sherlock softly and removed his arm from around his waist. Once he was free he ran to the phone. It was Mary.

“Where the hell are you Watson? You were supposed to pick me up early today. I have practice and I can’t carry all the equipment!” Mary said angrily, even before John could say hello

“I’m sorry Mar… I”

“Never mind Watson, I’ve called Mike, he’s picking me up as we speak. See you at school”

“Mary, wait, I’m with Sher…” John tried to say but Mary interrupted him

“Sherlock? Yay!! I expect a full report on that. See you at school John” She was ecstatic, giggling like crazy.

“Sure Mar, See you there. Sorry again” John apologised

“I’ll forgive you as soon as you spill the beans” Mary answered with a happy voice.

“Who was that?” Sherlock asked looking up at John

“That was Mary, I was supposed to pick her up today; she has football practice, and today she had to take all the equipment to the field” John explained

“Oh, I’m sorry” Sherlock looked down, hiding his face on his pillow

John went back to the bed and held Sherlock “Hey love, look at me” He pulled Sherlock’s face up by the chin “Why are you apologising?”

“If I hadn’t forced you to stay with me, maybe you’ll be with Mary now” Sherlock said avoiding John’s eyes. He felt a little jealous of John’s relationship with Mary.

“You didn’t force me to do anything love. I wanted to stay; I just forgot I had promised to help Mary” John said, a little worry in his voice “Besides, she’s really excited that I spent the night, she wants me to tell her everything, that’s her only condition to forgive me for letting her down”

Sherlock looked up and smiled at John “Fine, but not everything, just tell her I snogged you senseless” John smiled too and kissed Sherlock softly.

“We should get ready. But I have to ride back home to get some fresh clothes” John said leaving the bed

“No need for that” Sherlock followed “I can lend you whatever you need; the bathroom is through that door. Go ahead and shower first, I’ll look for some new underwear and a clean shirt” He said disappearing behind another door.

John went to the bathroom and turned on the shower, he realised he didn’t have a towel and left the bathroom again, looking for Sherlock, finding him standing next to the door with a towel in one hand and brand new underwear in the other. He smiled at his boyfriend and returned to the bathroom. He turned slowly and winked at Sherlock “Care to join me?” He asked a wicked smile across his face.

“I was hoping for you to ask me just that” Sherlock said following him to the bathroom. They bathed each other, cleaning their bodies. The touches turned into passion and they soon were kissing hungrily. John moved his hand over Sherlock’s hard cock, wrapping his fingers around it, and stroking it up and down. Sherlock followed John, and moved his hand in the same way. John’s almost expert moves where followed perfectly by Sherlock, moving their wrists in synchrony.

They came at the same time in each other’s hands, and right in time before Sherlock’s father came to wake him up. “Be right out, dad” Sherlock said breathlessly. “You okay son?” His father asked a little worried. “Yeah” Sherlock managed to answer “Be right out, just jumped in the shower”

Sherlock turned off the shower and passed John his towel. They dried fast and got dressed faster. They went downstairs and before they could escape, Mycroft called them to the kitchen. Sherlock rolled his eyes, but held John’s hand and entered the kitchen. “Morning John” Is all Mycroft said

“Good morning Professor Holmes” John answered, looking down a little embarrassed.

“Hope you both slept well guys” Mycroft smirked

“Hope Lestrade let you sleep” Sherlock snarled, making Mycroft blush hard.

 John’s eyes widened; what had Professor Lestrade had to do with Professor Holmes? Was he…? John shook his head.

“Breakfast love?” Sherlock asked

“Yeah. Thanks” John answered absentmindedly

After breakfast, the boys went to school to find a very excited Mary; she ran to them and hugged them both. “Spill your guts” she demanded linking their arms together. “We snogged each other senseless” John answered, winking at Sherlock “And after talking for a while, we fell asleep holding each other” Sherlock finished.

“Yeah… Sure… Right” Mary said smugly “Well, I forgive you, both, but sooner or later you’ll have to tell me what really happened” She kissed both boys on the cheeks and pulled them to their first class.           


	11. On the 12th Day of Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He’ll wait for you forever, you know?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Free afternoon and long weekend at my city = writting about Johnlock!
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

It had been three months since Sherlock and John became a couple, Christmas was around the corner and John wanted to surprise Sherlock with a romantic dinner, just the two of them the day after Christmas, but what he wanted the most was to go away with him to spend a few days on their own.  He asked their parents for some help, and decided to accept Mycroft’s suggestion of going to the Holmes’ country house; he prepared everything and went with Mary to buy Sherlock’s gifts.

Two weeks before Christmas, John took Mary to a jewellery store and bought a black tungsten ring, he had it engraved with his favourite line from Shakespeare’s “As you like it”.  It had become his favourite play just a few days ago, and Orlando his favourite character, all thanks to Sherlock and his amazing performance as Orlando, during the school Christmas theatre performance. The words were burnt in his memory; Sherlock looked at him all the time while reciting them to some silly girl that played opposite him, who portrayed Rosalind. During the marriage proposal, Sherlock had looked at him and said “Forever and a day”

By that moment John was more than certain that he loved Sherlock, that he wanted him in his life, and that he wanted it to be forever. He engraved the band with the phrase, knowing that Sherlock would appreciate it; and that he would remember the exact moment he had said those words. They were engraved in silver only for Sherlock’s eyes.

When Mary saw to where they were heading she gasped and hugged John, congratulating him. She tried on the ring and helped John with the proposal, practicing many scenarios while they waited at the jewellery store for the engraving.

“I’ve decided to marry Sherlock as soon as I get back from the army, but I want to give him this promise ring, so he’ll wait for me”

“He’ll wait for you forever, you know?” Mary said crying softly. “He loves you more than he loves his own life, I’m sure he’s going to say yes”, she smiled and hugged him again.

After getting the ring, John went back to his home, and showed it to his parents, they made him promise that they would wait until they were settled, in a nice flat, or home, with nice jobs, and what not, before they took such a big step, but they gave him their blessing, convincing him to ask Sherlock's family before asking the boy himself, especially because they were both underage, and that Sherlock was two years younger.

John called Mycroft and asked for his help, he needed to keep Sherlock away from home, and he needed to borrow a car to take him to the cabins. Mycroft accepted gladly, especially because he witnessed the change in his baby brother’s demeanour, he felt happy, and thought that at some point he might recover his relationship with his little brother.

John went to the Holmes’ state and had a heartfelt and teary conversation with Sherlock’s parents, he took advantage of Sherlock’s absence; Mycroft had taken him to buy John’s presents. Once with the Holmes John promised his future in-laws, that he would wait to marry Sherlock until they were settled down, with jobs and college degrees, each. They knew John could convince Sherlock to go to college. They also made him promise that he will always be there for him, that he will always protect him.

Sherlock busied himself trying to find the perfect gift for John, and got him, amongst other silly little presents, an army knife engraved with his name, a doctor’s bag with his initials carved on the leather, it was filled with medical supplies, he also got him a lab coat and had it embroidered with John’s name, it was so little compared to the gift John was to him, but it felt like the perfect gift for his future doctor. He felt so happy that this was their first Christmas!

After their first night together, John and Sherlock had made the most of their time, John was patient and accepted Sherlock’s quirks, Sherlock was trying to be patient and learn that other people needed more time to think and notice things. On Tuesdays and Thursdays afternoon, John had rugby practice, while Sherlock joined, at John’s request, the theatre club that had meetings on the same days. That way, they’ll be busy at the same time.

After school, they would spend time either at Sherlock’s or John’s, having dinner with each other’s parents, having sleep overs, and taking advantage of them to make love every day, to learn as much as they could about each other.

John had told Sherlock stories about his parents and his sister, what had happened to her, about her addiction and her moving out from home, his love for medicine and how he wanted to help others with his knowledge. He had mentioned Sholto, his best friend back home, and Sarah, and remembered vaguely about the boy he liked all those years back, and how he had discovered he was gay. He had mentioned to a very sleepy Sherlock that he liked poetry and romantic music, and that he played the guitar, not very often, but that one day he will compose him a song.

Sherlock told John all about his mind, and how it worked 24/7 analysing and memorizing everything. He told him all about Moriarty and that he had to leave the country to let things cool down, about his drug abuse and the reason why he started doing drugs, how he had learned self-defence to protect him from bullies, and all about his violin, his love for science, and how meeting him had changed his life, because whenever he felt like lashing out to some blithering idiot he remembered John’s eyes and his mind kept calm and quiet. He had also promised a sleepy John to compose him a song, that he had heard him when he said he played the guitar, that he liked poetry too, and that he was also becoming a romantic guy.

John had felt jealous, like he never felt before when Sherlock had told him about Victor, and how he had felt when Sherlock first met him, it hurt not being his first love, he felt insecure, and scared that if this boy were ever to appear, he would snatch Sherlock away from him. He felt guilty that he felt relief knowing he was dead, and it only made him sadder to know that Sherlock had suffered that much, but his relief was superior, because Sherlock was his now, despite the fact that someone had to die for it to be so.


	12. 5 Golden Rings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "...Thanks for your help Professor Holmes”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long weekends!!! I love them!
> 
> Enjoy!

The week before Christmas John and Sherlock went on a shopping spree. Sherlock had helped John pick gifts for everybody, Mary, Molly, Mike, his parents, and just in case, one for his sister. John had done the same, he had helped Sherlock chose the gifts for his family, and even one for Greg. They had picked the gifts and signed the cards “With love, from Sherlock and John”. Sherlock had wanted to just sign their names, but John had insisted on signing each card that way, even the one that was for Mycroft.

They got a nice black and blue umbrella for Mycroft, some engraved silver cufflinks for Siger, a nice grey and pink shawl for Violet; and another black and green for Lia, they got Hamish a set of tools, he loved tools, though it had been a long time since he held one. They got Greg a gun cleaning kit, and got Mike a medicine book, one he had mentioned he wanted before… just before. They got both Mary and Molly matching bracelets, with bright “M’s” dangling from them. The gift for Harry was a picture of them both, with a legend that read “wish you were here”.     

After gift shopping, John went to visit Mike to deliver the gift, and if possible, to try and make amends, he wanted to let his friend know that he cared for him and that no matter what he thought about him being gay, and his relationship with Sherlock, he still thought of him as his brother, sadly, Mike wasn’t home, he had left to visit his family without saying goodbye.  He started walking and bumped into Magnussen, ha was about to insult the arse that had hit him when he saw who it was.

Magnussen frowned and pierced John with his colourless eyes; sending shivers down John’s spine, John just nodded and went by, waving awkwardly at Magnussen who kept on walking without even looking back. He decided to go to Mary’s to give her her present and pay her a visit before going back home. He rang Mary but she didn’t answer and when he got to her flat, nobody answered either, so he left a voicemail to her, telling her he’ll be back before leaving with Sherlock to see her.

He tried to visit Molly, but the girl refused to see him, she was hurt still, so he left Molly’s gifts with her parents, along with a note telling her that he hoped she felt better, and sending her love from both him and Sherlock. He felt guilty, but the heart wants what the heart wants, and his heart wanted Sherlock.

The day after Christmas, John and Sherlock went to visit Mary, she wasn’t answering her phone and John was very worried about her, nobody was home and it seemed very odd that she had left without a word.  Mary’s parents weren’t answering either and John had a feeling that something was very wrong, but in his anger, he dismissed it.  Sherlock kept his eyes on John and read him like a book, he was worried, and he was right to be.

“John?” Sherlock spoke breaking the silence “Do you want to stay here and wait for Mary to come? We can postpone our Christmas dinner and wait for her” 

“No” John said shaking his head “If Mary needs me she will call me, she’s been acting weird for some time now, and I know when she wants to be alone, so I’ll wait for her to call. Let’s go”. He took Sherlock’s hand and started walking back to his flat.

Sherlock knew that John was worried, but he also was angry.  John walked silently, almost dragging Sherlock, he tried to be calm before their trip, but felt sad, his friends had left him before Christmas; he felt angry and betrayed.  Thank God for Sherlock, he had become the one and only.

Once in John’s flat, he asked Sherlock to wait for a second and came down with a bag, he said goodbye to his parents and led Sherlock out of the flat.  Sherlock was surprised, they were supposed to have dinner; maybe he wanted to stay over at Sherlock’s that night, keep him company while his parents were out on their many social duties.

As soon as they pulled at Sherlock’s place, he hugged Sherlock and led him to his room; he looked for a bag and started putting some clothes in it.

“What are you doing love?” Sherlock asked looking at John with surprised eyes

“Packing”

“I can see that, but, why are you packing”

“It’s a surprise, you’ll see” John said mysteriously

“Oh, wait then, I have some things to pack too” Sherlock said mischievously

“Okay love, but please hurry, I don’t want us to be late”

On the ride to Sherlock’s place, John had calmed down, thinking ahead about the nights they were going to share, and smiled.

When they came out of Sherlock’s room, Mycroft was there holding some keys to John

“Everything ready?” Mycroft asked winking at John

“Yup, Thanks for your help Professor Holmes” John said looking down

“Oh John, it’s been more than three months since you’ve started dating Sherlock, I think it’s time you call me Mycroft, don’t you think?” Mycroft said with a smirk

“Sure… uh… Mycroft, Sir… Thanks for your help” John said still not looking up

“No problem lad, just be careful, remember, he’s my little brother”

“Yes sir… Mycroft… so… um… I’ll text you… Goodbye Sir… uh… Mycroft” John answered awkwardly

Sherlock looked at them up and down watching this strange exchange, he was about to ask what it was about, when Mycroft winked at him, mouthing “let him surprise you”. Sherlock nodded and thanked his brother with a smile.  He followed John out of his house opening his eyes widely when he saw that a car was waiting for them outside. John took Sherlock’s hand and pulled him over hugging him

“Merry Christmas love” John whispered in Sherlock’s ear

“Merry Christmas to you too love. Can’t wait for the rest of the surprise” Sherlock said blushing and kissing John’s cheek


	13. 'twas the night after Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock kept looking at John, every move he made, every gesture, memorizing all of them, enjoying each and every one, saving them in his mind palace.  
> John felt Sherlock’s eyes and looked up, admiring the gorgeous features of his boyfriend’s face. He kept on looking those eyes that made him feel as if he was naked all the time, cherishing the calm that appeared on them, enjoying the love that they emanated, feeling lost in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired, so here... enjoy!

A couple hours later, John pulled over into the Holmes’ country house, it was a two story house surrounded by trees, covered in snow, secluded from the world.  John helped Sherlock out of the car and helped with their bags.  Once inside the house, everything was ready for them, John led Sherlock inside, leaving their bags on the floor.  He embraced Sherlock and started kissing him passionately.

“I hope you like your surprise love” He said with a low voice

“I love it, and I love you” Sherlock said with a deep voice

As they kissed, they started removing each other’s clothes, leaving a trail of clothes as they went up to the bedroom.  By the time they hit the bed they were both so aroused and so turned on, that they could barely think straight, they just wanted each other.  John pushed Sherlock into the bed and hovered over him, leaving kisses everywhere.

Sherlock’s hands travelled along John’s body, touching every inch of it with knowledgeable fingers. “Tell me what you want” John said with a husky voice.  “Fuck me” Sherlock answered with his deep voice, knowing that it will trigger John’s brain.  John went to the other room to get his bag, he took out the bottle of lube and spread it on his fingers and over Sherlock’s entrance, massaging softly, relaxing him.

After their first time, they barely needed much work up, but they were both gentle to each other.  Sherlock moaned and screamed for all the times he couldn’t when they weren’t alone, crying John’s name and letting deep groans out of his throat.  John was so aroused that he felt his cock throbbing at Sherlock’s sounds. He couldn’t hold it anymore and pushed himself in to Sherlock with a loud groan, feeling Sherlock around him.  He started moving steadily, holding Sherlock’s hips with one hand and his cock with the other, moving it up and down.

He found the right position and thrusted harder into Sherlock. Sherlock’s eyes widened and clenched to John, moving his hips to meet every thrust. He held John’s hand and started stroking himself following John’s rhythm.  John couldn’t hold it anymore and whispered in Sherlock’s ear. “Come for me love, let me see you come, I want to see your face when you come, do it for me”

Sherlock let himself go, John’s husky voice working like a charm, as soon as he came, he felt John filling him up, both ending with a scream, calling each other’s names.  John fell on top of Sherlock, catching his breath, Sherlock held him, heaving heavily.  “It gets better every time” Sherlock said gasping. “Oh God, yes” John said kissing Sherlock on the nose.

They lay next to each other waiting for their hearts to settle down, holding hands and kissing. Less than an hour later, feeling relaxed and happy, Sherlock started kissing John’s neck, feeling the need to have John this time. “Shower?” Sherlock asked teasingly “You bet” John said getting off of the bed leading Sherlock to the bathroom. 

They ran to the bathroom and started the water. They got into the shower and John started moving his hands up and down Sherlock’s torso, cleaning him, then moved his hands down to Sherlock’s cock, and stroked it up and down, getting him more aroused.

Sherlock looked down at John and kissed him hungrily, grabbing John’s arse, teasing his entrance with his fingers.  “Fuck me now!” John said with a lusty voice “Fill me up!” Sherlock turned him, and teased his entrance, when John was ready Sherlock entered him, moaning and calling John’s name.

John let a loud groan out, meeting Sherlock in every thrust. He started stroking himself; Sherlock held him close, one hand in his hip, the other over John’s hand, whispering in his ear, doing the same as John had done “Come for me love, come for me, I want to see you come, I want to feel you come” He said with a deep voice. John’s brain tuned into a puddle and came fast in their hands. Sherlock felt John’s body clenching and followed John a few seconds later, screaming John’s name.  He held John by his shoulders, heaving, not moving; savouring every second.

Sherlock moved out of John and helped him bathe, caressing his skin and kissing him everywhere he could.  They got out the shower and dried each other.  John went down stairs to look for their bags and went back to the bedroom. They changed into their pyjamas, and jumped back to bed. They held each other tangling their legs together, and drifted off.

John woke a few hours later, feeling cold; he opened his eyes looking for Sherlock. He got out of bed and went to look for him. Sherlock woke, feeling John’s steady breathing and decided not wake him.  He looked so cute and peaceful! He detangled himself from John’s body, got out of the bed and went down to the living room to turn the fire and to look for his gift bag. He sat next to the fire place to wait for John to wake up.  About half an hour later, John came out of the room and saw Sherlock sitting by the fire. He walked quietly and went to held him.

Sherlock heard John and was waiting for him, when he felt John’s arms around his neck; he grabbed him to sit him in his lap. “How was your nap?” Sherlock asked softly. “Great, until I lost my human pillow” John said with a pout.  Sherlock kissed him. “Well, here I am” he said pocking his nose.

“Hungry?” Sherlock asked

“Starving” John answered with a smile

“Where should we eat?”

“Don’t worry, I have everything figured out” John said with a mischievous smile

Sherlock grinned and followed John to the kitchen.  The fridge was full of treats and food.

“Could you please set the table love?” John asked gently

“Sure” Sherlock said looking for some plates and cutlery.

John busied himself in the kitchen, feeling Sherlock’s eyes on his back. Once the food was done, John served them both.  He made Sherlock’s favourite, Napolitan Pasta! They ate, Sherlock praising John’s food, making him blush, and talking about everything and nothing. Sherlock kept looking at John, every move he made, every gesture, memorizing all of them, enjoying each and every one, saving them in his mind palace.

John felt Sherlock’s eyes and looked up, admiring the gorgeous features of his boyfriend’s face. He kept on looking those eyes that made him feel as if he was naked all the time, cherishing the calm that appeared on them, enjoying the love that they emanated, feeling lost in love.

Sherlock smiled looking deeply into John’s eyes. While John kept talking about his rugby team, and that he had been made captain, and Sherlock’s performance and everything else, Sherlock started imagining his future life with John, always together, living in a bubble of domestic bliss. He even imagined having kids, a perfect little replica of John. But that will have to wait, John had to graduate from Uni, he was going to be the best doctor in the world. 

Sherlock’s eyes moistened with tears, as he remembered that John had enlisted and he was leaving for at least three years, but by that time, he will already be twenty-one, out of school for good, and he’ll have a flat for him and John to live in, they will solve cases for a living, John will be a doctor in some private clinic, and then they could get married and…

“Of course!” Sherlock said startling John

“What?” John stared at Sherlock looking at his bright smile

“We should…” Sherlock said smiling but stopped himself

“We should what love?”

“Give each other our presents!” Sherlock lied, he had to plan how to propose to John, he had to get a ring and plan a dinner and, tell his parents, and ask John’s parents. So many things to plan! He may even have to ask Mycroft for help…

“Yes love, you’re right” John said getting up from the table, feeling anxious, palms sweating, but excited about his proposal. Sure, he had talked to Sherlock’s parent already, and to his parents, and had made as many promises as they had asked, waiting until they were done with Uni, swearing to his parents and to his in-laws that he would be safe at the army, not only for him but for Sherlock, listening to Mycroft rant about safety, again… but now this was it, the moment was now!


	14. A true Christmas surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scattered inside there were about a hundred strawberry candies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> love having some time before getting back to work!  
> Enjoy!

Sherlock noticed John nervousness, but waved it away, relating it to the nervousness of him knowing what the gift was or him not liking it. They sat in front of the fire, holding each other close; John asked to go first, so this way he will propose as a last gift.  Sherlock nodded and took John’s present. He opened it smiling happily at John. He smiled with his eyes when he saw what was in the package, it was a beautiful blue silk scarf, he felt it with his long fingers, shivering at the touch. He beamed, feeling his heart so full with love and happiness. He grabbed a huge box from behind him and handed it to John.

John opened the box and widened his eyes in surprise, it was filled with a lot of presents, there was a big package, and a bunch of little ones; he decided to open the big one first. It was a beautiful doctor’s bag, with his initials carved on the leather; he opened the little packages to find medical supplies wrapped as gifts, from cotton balls to bottles filled with alcohol and betadine, bandages, latex gloves, even a stethoscope, amongst other things.  

He felt silly, he got Sherlock a scarf, a notebook and a magnifier, and well, a ring, he never expected to get something so wonderful, he shook his head feeling ashamed that he hadn’t put so much thought into Sherlock’s gift

Sherlock kept on looking at John and saw him blushing

“What’s wrong love? You didn’t like your present?” Sherlock asked worriedly

“No my dear, not at all!” John said hugging Sherlock by his waist and pulling him to kiss him softly on the lips. “This is the most thoughtful, most wonderful and beautiful gift I’ve ever received. Oh God Sherlock I love you so much!”

Sherlock was surprised by the reaction and kissed John back “I’m sorry love, I just got you this, I’m sorry…” He handed Sherlock the notebook. Sherlock opened it hurriedly, tearing up the paper. His eyes welled up with tears when he saw his name carved on it “ _Sherlock Holmes_ ”. Inside the notebook was another little present, it was an Eschenbach pocket magnifier, with his initials engraved next to the brand.

“Oh my sweet John, these are so beautiful, and the scarf, I love it! You’ve made me so happy! You’re all I ever wanted, you’re the best gift that I could get anytime; your love is enough for me!” Sherlock laughed and held John’s hands in his, kissing each finger lovingly. “Keep opening your presents love, enjoy them! I love how you look while you open them, that’s another beautiful gift I get from you”

At the bottom of the box there was a lab coat with his name in it “John Watson M.D.”, he felt his chest bursting with love and happiness, and then he saw a little tin box, inside there was an army knife, with his name on it. He couldn’t hold it anymore and threw himself at Sherlock’s arms, kissing him everywhere he could.

“I love you Sherlock Holmes, you’re so wonderful, so great. Oh how I love you!” Sherlock laughed as he was pinned down to the floor by John’s body.  “I love you too, so much! You’re my all my Dear John”.  

John kissed Sherlock softly, enjoying the kiss, melting with Sherlock’s lips. He pulled apart for a second to look at Sherlock, and kissed the tip of his nose. “Such wonderful gifts! You’re so great!”

“You’re great love, you inspire me! but please, finish up with your gifts” Sherlock said, kissing John’s chin.

“More?” John asked surprised

“Just one more, or well, about a hundred, but it’s just one”

“One, but a hundred? Oh well…” John sighed and rolled his eyes. He kept on looking, taking a bunch of wrinkled papers out of the box. Scattered inside there were about a hundred strawberry candies. John smiled wholeheartedly, looking at Sherlock, this was the perfect moment!

“Sherlock?” John said, his voice trembling

“Yes love?” Sherlock looked up at John. He was lying on the carpeted floor, his hands resting on his belly, breathing slowly, enjoying the moment.

John moved close to Sherlock and lifted Sherlock’s head, resting it on his lap. “Sherlock, my Sherlock, there is one last gift I want to give you, and I really hope you like it, it’s not much, but, it’s a gift from the heart”

Sherlock closed his eyes when John held his head. He felt so happy, so full, and he was drifting off a little when he heard John speak softly into his ear. “What is it my love?” He asked, eyes still closed

“Please Sherlock, look at me” He opened his eyes and saw a little black velvet box in front of him, he took it with shaky fingers and opened it, inside there was a black tungsten ring, he took it an looked at it, his eyes welling up with happy tears, inside the ring, with shiny silver letters it read “Forever and a day”. Sherlock smiled remembering the exact moment he had said those words and the look on John’s face throughout the play.

“Sherlock, would you…” John started, but was cut by a happy Sherlock. “Yes, a thousand times yes!” Sherlock lifted his body, wrapping his arms around John. John smiled, sighing in relief. He hugged Sherlock back and started kissing him. They made love there, in front of the fire, celebrating their new status, being fiancés!


	15. Not everything is rose (pink) and happy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What, Sherlock? WHAT?” John shouted and let Sherlock’s hand go
> 
> Sherlock froze, it was the first time John got angry at him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't.stop.writting!

They spent the next four days in a bubble made of kisses and love making, whole foods and fire. But it was time to return to London.  During the ride home Sherlock noticed that John was growing more and more anxious the more they got closer to London

“Are you all right love? Sherlock asked worriedly

“Yes love, I’m fine, it’s just Mary; I’m worried you know?”

“Then let’s go to her house first”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes love, I consider your friends as my friends too, and I’m worried too” 

When they pulled at Mary’s flat, John helped Sherlock out of the car, entwining their fingers and pulling him out softly.  Sherlock could feel John’s emotions ranging from anger to desperation, but mostly fear. He knew that John was going to hate him but it was the price he had to pay for being a “fucking prick”, though all evidence suggested that John already knew that something was wrong.

“John” Sherlock said with a hair of a voice

“Yes love?” John looked up at Sherlock

“I am so sorry love, I should have told you before; I am sorry, so sorry; I hope you can forgive me someday”

“Wha…” John was confused, not knowing what Sherlock was talking about

“I hope Mary is alright, I swear I do, but…”

“What, Sherlock, WHAT” John shouted and let Sherlock’s hand go

Sherlock froze, it was the first time John got angry at him, he felt as if the world had crumbled around him, and wasn’t able to move, or talk, he felt his heart sink to his stomach, fearing the worst

“ANSWER ME!” John shouted, shaking Sherlock by the shoulders “WHAT IS GOING ON?”

Sherlock fell to his knees, unable to speak, tears rolling down his cheeks, almost inaudibly repeating “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry that I’m a fucking prick, I’m so sorry I hurt you John, I’m sorry you had to meet me, I’m sorry you are in love with an idiot, I’m sorry, I’ll totally understand if you leave me”

John was so confused and angry that he wasn’t able to control his trembling body, but the second he saw Sherlock fall to the ground his brain snapped and kneeled beside him, hugging him as close as possible “I’m sorry love, I’m just nervous, that’s all, Mary’s my friend… What’s going on? Please talk to me!” John said whispering softly into Sherlock’s ear.

“Remember I told you that my brain worked 24/7?” Sherlock asked in between sobs

“Yes my love, but what’s that had to do with Mary” John asked as calmly as possible

“Well…” Sherlock bit his lower lip “Since I observe everything, I noticed that she was having a rough time with her boyfriend, Magnussen is it?”

“Yes?” John answered suspiciously

“And I wasn’t sure at first but the evidence indicates that he’s abusive with her, and I’m using abusive to soften the fact that he probably hits her and other… stuff” Sherlock said looking down, avoiding intentionally John’s gaze

John felt his anger rise up again, but he wasn’t mad at Sherlock, he was mad at Mary, and Mike, and Molly, and Magnussen, and everyone in the world that had ignored him, he had to find out from Sherlock, from bloody Sherlock, not from Mary; he felt betrayed. He clenched his fists to his side, unable to look back at Sherlock, to move, to say anything

John sighed after a moment of uncomfortable silence. “It’s not your fault” he muttered, glancing over at Sherlock, catching a glimpse of his scared face. “You are not to blame here, Mary should have told me something, I shouldn’t have found out about it because of you” John felt tears rolling down his cheeks, falling from his eyes uncontrollably.

Sherlock shifted a little, putting a hand over John’s shoulder, afraid of holding him or moving any closer.  John felt Sherlock’s hand and put his cheek on top of it. “I will never stop loving you, no matter what you say, or not, I love your brain, and now, thanks to it, I can help Mary” John said whipping his eyes and standing up.  He held a hand out to Sherlock to help him up.

“Either way, I’m sorry love. I should have said something sooner” Sherlock said with a tone of regret and guilt in his voice

“I said… It’s not your fault” John said swallowing thickly, pulling Sherlock to hug him. He entwined their fingers and pulled him to Mary’s flat.


	16. With Mary, For Mary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Packing what Hun?” Sherlock chuckled at the term of endearment
> 
> “Mary’s stuff of course, ducky!” Sherlock said getting off Mary’s bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> maybe two more to come...

The boys stood outside waiting for somebody to open the door, there were lights on at Mary’s flat, so somebody must be there.  Mary’s mother opened the door, looking outside through the chain, as soon as she saw John; she smiled and opened the door fully, letting them inside

“You sure are a sight for sore eyes”, she said sadly, “Mary’s been waiting for you”

John ran up the stairs, holding Sherlock’s hand firmly. He knocked on Mary’s door and waited for her to respond

“Come in” A feeble voice said

The boys entered the room to find a sad and awful sight. Mary was in her bed, her face swollen, her left eye closed because of the bruising, a cast on her right arm, a neck collar, a cast on her left leg and bruising all over her chest and shoulders

“I’m sorry John” she started crying. John ran to her side but stopped cold, turning away from her and returning to Sherlock’s side. “Mary, I’m sorry too, I should have noticed earlier” John said angrily.

“Did, uh, did Mike knew? Uh… or Molly?” John said looking away from Mary and fixing his eyes on Sherlock

“No, John, no one knew! I should have told you but I was so scared!” Mary was crying her eyes out. “Charles realised Sherlock was on to him and told me to keep quiet.  He saw us at the jewellery store and…” she was crying so hard she couldn’t talk anymore.

This time it was Sherlock who ran to her side, putting his hand on her shoulder, gripping softly, moving from her shoulder to her head, patting her in a comforting way. “And he thought that John was giving my ring to you” Sherlock finished the sentence. Mary nodded softly

At this, John moved to the head of the bed and sat next to Mary, opposite Sherlock, holding her softly, trying not to hurt her more. “Shhhhh, it’s all right, I’m sorry Mary, I should have taken better care of you, but from now on, I’m not letting you out of my sight” John said soothingly.

“Thank you guys, thank you for being here. Charles is in jail now, but I’m afraid they’ll release him” Mary said with a broken voice

“They won’t” Sherlock said reassuringly, while texting somebody on his phone. “John?” He said looking at the blonde

“Yes love?” John said looking back.

“Help me?”

“With what?”

“Packing” John looked at Sherlock questioningly

“Packing what Hun?” Sherlock chuckled at the term of endearment

“Mary’s stuff of course, ducky!” Sherlock said getting off Mary’s bed.

“What…?” John looked at him confused

“Great!” Sherlock said typing his phone like a mad man. “Mary?” Sherlock looked at her “Happen to have a big bag around, do you?”

Mary nodded looking at Sherlock with questioning eyes

Where is it? Do we have to ask your mom for it?”

Mary shook her head and pointed to her closet. Sherlock moved to the closet opening it and finding the bag. “Help John?”

John approached Sherlock, but before he could ask anything, Sherlock looked up at him and pointed to the bag. “We need to pack some essentials, maybe for a month or so, Mary…” he said looking back at the girl “My family has invited you to stay with us for as long as you need it”

Mary beamed at them, feeling safer already; she tried to talk but was too chocked up by the tears that flowed freely out of her eyes.

John smiled at Sherlock feeling the urge to kiss him. He was so great! He never imagined that Sherlock, his Sherlock was such a great man. He kneeled beside him, just brushing their lips together “Oh boy, how am I going to repay you for this tonight!” John said whispering into Sherlock’s ear.

Sherlock shivered and looked at John intently, blushing hard. He looked down and started packing whatever fell in the bag. They were almost ready when Mary’s mom came to the room looking relieved.

“Sherlock, dear, you mother just called and said she is inviting us over to New Years. That we should pack. Did you know anything about it?” She asked with worry on her voice. Sherlock nodded, standing up. “Mrs. Morstan, may I speak with you for a moment? Please John, could you help Mary with her toiletries?

John nodded and left the bedroom along with Sherlock and Mary’s mum. He could hear from the distance that Sherlock was explaining her that it was actually his idea, that he had asked his brother to help and protect Mary for the time being and that he was doing it for John, because he knew how much John loved Mary. John couldn't help but smile and feel his heart flip and turn inside his chest.

He returned to Mary’s bedroom to pack the toiletries, when Sherlock returned he was being held by a very happy Mrs. Morstan in one arm, and a small bag in the other. They helped Mary out of the flat and to the car, John kissed Mary on the forehead and she smiled back, he looked at her and smiled, feeling a sting of pain running down his body.

Mrs. Morstan contacted her husband, but he already knew everything, Sherlock’s father had called him and asked him to come by the house as soon as his shift was over. He said he’d be over after packing what he needed.


	17. A big, brand new, happy family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Thank you” she whispered once Mycroft laid her on the bed

By the time they arrived at Sherlock’s place, Mycroft was waiting outside, a wheel chair prepared and what seemed to be a nurse standing by it. He went to the car door and opened it, carrying Mary out, and instead of sitting her on the chair, he walked directly into the house, taking her directly to her room. Mary was surprised by the gesture, and she snuggled into her teacher’s chest, feeling safe for the first time in a long time.

“Thank you” she whispered once Mycroft laid her on the bed, Mycroft just nodded and left the room without a single word.  John and Sherlock followed close behind. Once Mary was settled both boys sat on her sides and stayed with her until she finally fell asleep.

The boys left the room and headed back to the living room, to John’s surprise, his parents were there too. The boy’s greeted them, without even planning it their parents were finally meeting each other. Sherlock’s parents had planned an adult’s only dinner, so the kids were able to do as pleased while it lasted.

Before dinner, they all sat at the living room chatting and exchanging pleasantries, getting to know each other and asking all the questions parents were supposed to ask about their kids romantic interests. Everything was covered up in a couple of hours, and then it came the time to talk about the future. John and Sherlock looked at each other, and held hands; talking about the future was something neither was comfortable talking about, especially because of John’s choice of “profession”.

Mycroft looked at the boys and nudged Greg to try and change the subject; he could see the sadness and desperation in their eyes. “Violet” Greg cleared his throat holding Mycroft’s hands in his “Mycroft and I have decided to marry next year, we were thinking February, maybe March; and we want you to help us plan the wedding, if you don’t mind”

Everybody’s eyes widened, looking at each other surprised “As you know” Greg continued with a determined voice “we’ve been dating since freshman year at Uni… how longs has it been ducky?” Greg asked looking lovingly at Mycroft.

“Six years, ducky…” Mycroft snarled, rolling his eyes, and squeezing Greg’s hand stronger that needed. “As if you’ll ever forget when we met dear, you have to admit I’m the best that has happened to you” Mycroft said smugly.

“Right love… six years… though sometimes it feels like more…” Greg sighed, removing his hand slightly from Mycroft’s grip. “So, as I was saying… we’ve been dating for six years, and been engaged for three already, so I think it’s time we tie the knot”

Violet went to seat between them, forgetting about what they were talking before. Sherlock looked at his brother with thankful eyes, Mycroft nodded and smiled back. Violet squealed and started throwing dates at Greg who looked more like they were planning his death and not his marriage.

“Then it’s settled” Violet said happily “February 16th, it’s the Saturday next to Valentine’s Day, that gives just enough time to call everybody. Oh a winter wedding, I just love them!” She left the living room, and by the time they were called to dinner, she had everything planned, including the honeymoon.

 “So mummy” Sherlock said looking at his mother as she re-entered the room “Would you plan ours too?”   

The room felt silent for a moment, the adults looked at each other back and forth. John fell silent, feeling his cheeks burning with embarrassment, and his chest with love and pride.

“You don’t have to look so surprised people; I already know John asked for my hand in marriage, if not, how else could he have taken me to OUR country house for almost four days?” Sherlock asked a little annoyed. “You already know I said yes, of course I was going to say yes. And no, I don’t want a wedding right away, but seeing as you planned Mycroft’s so fast, you could arrange something for us too when the time comes” Sherlock squeezed John’s hand as if asking for support, but none was needed. Violet just hugged her youngest and nodded smiling at him.

“Leave it to a Holmes to plan a wedding in less than half an hour” Siger said laughing, lifting somehow the tension created by Sherlock’s request.

It was time for dinner so Sherlock and John left to go and check up on Mary before getting something to eat. Mary was still asleep, so they decided to have something quick and go straight to bed. After they ate, Sherlock led John out of the kitchen holding him from the back, walking directly to his room. In the way they ran into Mycroft, who looked at them and smiled. “A word brother dear?”, “Sure” Sherlock said, releasing John and following Mycroft.

“Please wait for me in my room, I won’t take long” Sherlock said smiling at John.  John nodded and headed to Sherlock’s room.  He sat on the bed, waiting for him to come back. He looked over the room, smiling at everything he saw, the room was so Sherlock!

Sherlock’s room reminded him of some old movies; it was big enough to hold both his and Harry’s room together. The wall paper was a dark shade of blue, completed with a black pattern that looked like pirate’s hats and pirate’s ships, a few Jolly Rogers were visible.  The wall in front of the bed had a smiley face painted on it with the most scandalous yellow, and a few darts sat drawing the smile.

The bed was big, king sized, covered with black cotton sheets and a dark blue duvet.  Two nightstands stood on each side of the bed, on top of the left one, the side Sherlock usually slept on, was a picture of them both, taken by Mary at the school Christmas’s party. They were wearing suits and Sherlock was holding John from the back; John’s head rested on Sherlock’s chest and Sherlock head resting on John’s. They were holding hands and laughing at the camera.

The curtains were made of  dark blue suede, before John, the curtains were always closed, since John, the curtains were always open, whenever John stayed at Sherlock’s, which was almost every night, he made sure the curtains remained open during the day. At the window frame there were some other pictures of them, one of Mary; one with Greg and Mycroft, and one with his parents. John’s favourite was one of him holding his violin, his eyes closed, and lost in the music.

The room was completed with an ensuit bathroom and a walking closet, a desk rested next to the ensuit wall; next to it was a table with a chemistry set. A large bookcase adorned the wall opposite to the bed; it was filled with all sorts of books and some drawings, most of them of human parts.

It smelled like Sherlock, cinnamon and vanilla, it almost screamed Sherlock’s name; to John the room was like his home. He took his clothes off and decided to wait for Sherlock all snuggled up in his bed.


	18. Bad news, worst news

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER ALERT! 
> 
> I haven't killed Moriarty... yet, but don't worry, I won't be killing Sherlock, he has already suffered enough

Sherlock followed his brother to his room, remembering the last time he was there, over six years ago, the last night before his brother left for Uni. He was 9, Mycroft had just turned 17... Once in the room, Mycroft's expression changed to a grave one. “I have bad news and worst news, brother dear” Mycroft said with a serious tone, “The bad news is that, um… your little… eh… “friend” Jimmy, has asked to see you. The worst news, he’s out, he was bailed”

Sherlock felt a shiver run down his spine, the mention of Moriarty’s name was enough to have him worried. “Moriarty?” Sherlock swallowed hard. “No, little Charles, about an hour ago, so he doesn’t know Mary is staying here with us”

“Well, that’s kind of a relief” Sherlock sighed heavily “Should we move her parents out too?” Sherlock looked at his brother waiting for an answer. “No, the best we can do is to remain as we are” Mycroft answered slowly. “The more “normal” we keep things, the best, as for Mary, she’ll stay here for as long as needed, in the meantime, I’ll place people at school, and back at John’s and Mary’s flats. Are you concerned about anybody else’s security?”

“Yeah; Mike and Molly. Charles may go to them to ask about Mary, but since they have no idea what happened, they may be in even more danger than us”

“I’ll have security over their places too”

“Thank you Mycroft, I really appreciate it. Sherlock said sincerely. “Oh, and thank Gavin for me, what he did, distracting Mummy, was great of him”, Sherlock said with a smile before turning back to the door to leave his brother’s bedroom

 “For Christ sake, Sherlock, for the millionth time, his name is Greg!” Mycroft said, smirking a little. “And thank him yourself, besides being your brother in law; he’s also YOUR guardian”. An ironic smile spread over Mycroft’s lips

“Yeah, right, but he’s been guarding YOUR arse, not mine” Sherlock sassed.

“Oh God Sherlock! why?” Mycroft rolled his eyes dramatically

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry…” Sherlock muttered, looking down.

“We’ll stay for the night, to make sure you’re all right” Mycroft said clearing his throat.

“Thank you brother, I really do appreciate it”

“You’ve changed Sherlock; I have to say John’s got the best out of you”

 “So does Greg with you” Sherlock smirked

“Goodnight brother dear” Mycroft said rolling his eyes

 “Goodnight Mycroft” Sherlock paused at the door and turned one last time “Goodnight Greg! Thank you!” He shouted, leaving the room, smiling to himself. In spite of everything, seeing his brother happy, made him happy.

Sherlock returned to his bedroom, wanting to hug John, thinking about Moriarty, and the fact that Magnussen had bailed, how would he tell John? He was already scared about what Sherlock had told him about Moriarty, and now they had another crazy genius threatening their lives. He had to find the words, he had to be honest.

When he entered the room his eyes widened, the sight of John, naked in his bed, eyes closed, and relaxed, was striking. He looked so beautiful! Sherlock didn’t want to disturb the moment, he wanted to turn his brain off and enjoy the view, but it was impossible, if he wanted to keep having such beautiful surprises, he had to warn John, and the time was now.

Sherlock approached the bed to place a hand over John’s head, but then John turned his head, looking directly at Sherlock, a big smile plastered on his face at the sight of his love. Sherlock got lost in his eyes, once again, every time he looked John in the eyes, he felt as heaven opened for him and nothing else mattered. He leaned and placed a soft kiss on John’s forehead, feeling all the worries leave his body.

John knew something was wrong immediately, Sherlock’s steps were insecure. He turned and looked for his eyes, he saw anger, sadness, and, what? fear? in them, he just lifted up a little, leaning in to the kiss, and holding Sherlock close. “I’m here love, I’m always here, please, talk to me”. Sherlock returned the embrace, nuzzling up in John’s neck, sniffing John’s scent deeply into his lungs, finding comfort.

He moved away, looking at John lovingly, while removing hurriedly his clothes, before climbing to bed next to him. John was waiting, arms wide open, and Sherlock nested in his arms, feeling safe and relaxed.  He wrapped his arms around John’s waist, tangling their legs, getting closer to John’s chest, feeling his heartbeat.

“There’s been a… development” Sherlock said breaking the silence, looking up at John “Mycroft had two really bad news, one for me, and one for all of us”.

John looked down at Sherlock, placing a kiss on his forehead. “Tell me love” John said softly.

“Well… The bad news for me is that Moriarty wants to see me” Sherlock shrugged his nose and his voice faltered a little

John’s breath hitched, muttering a curse under his breath. “And what does that” He was about to say prick, but contained himself “um, boy, wants to talk to you about?”

“No idea, Mycroft just told me, I guess I should find out soon” Sherlock said avoiding John’s gaze

“And the other news?” John asked with anger in his voice

“Magnussen was bailed” Sherlock blurted out, sighing, letting John go and separating their bodies, trying to give John some room to think and process everything, but John held him tightly and twined their legs back together. “Don’t” John muttered “Don’t leave me, please hold me, I need to feel you near, I’m scared, but if we are together, we can fix it, I’m sure of it”

Sherlock held him as close as he could, trying to melt with him.  It was a restless night for both, filled with nightmares and sudden movements, not letting each other go all night, as a way to ensure they were together and safe.


	19. A terrible nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The door opened with a flung and Mycroft’s murderous eyes looked at John up and down. Suddenly his body was against the wall and he had Mycroft’s hands around his throat.

It was the crack of dawn when John felt Sherlock moving next to him, he had finally managed to fall asleep a couple hours earlier. He could hear Sherlock mumbling something, when a terrible scream filled the otherwise silent room. With a jump, John was out of the bed, not knowing what had happened. It took him some time to realise that Sherlock was dreaming, actually, that Sherlock was having a nightmare. His cries were so desperate that John felt his heart break at the sight of his lover’s pained face.

He tried to wake Sherlock up, calling his name, trying to shake his arms, but Sherlock pushed him away; he had a hold of the pillow so strong that it was almost impossible to take it away from him. John wasn’t sure of what to do so he kept trying calling Sherlock’s name. “It’s me love, I’m here, It’s me John, please Sherlock, wake up, it’s only a bad dream”

Sherlock was screaming his head off, he kept on dreaming about Victor and the day he died, how he had found him, lying next to him in bed, not knowing what was going on. He shook Victor but he didn’t wake. That day was one of the many he had stayed at the Trevor’ estate, playing pirates with his friend, being happy children. That morning, after realising Victor was dead; he had to tell Victor’s parents. He had slept all night next to his friend’s dead body.

During his nightmare, Sherlock felt a body next to him, he shook it, but it didn’t respond; he was next to Victor’s dead body again. “NO! Please, don’t be dead, please! Please wake up, PLEASE, let it all be a dream! WHY?” Sherlock hugged his dead friend’s body, desperately trying to breathe life into him, but he was far gone, his body was cold and limp; there was nothing left to do.

John panicked, not knowing what else to do, no matter how much he tried to wake Sherlock up from the nightmare. At some point he heard some hurried steps coming from the hallway, approaching Sherlock’s room, so all he could do was put his pyjamas on, and cover; as best as he could his fiancé’s naked body.

The door opened with a flung and Mycroft’s murderous eyes looked at John up and down. Suddenly his body was against the wall and he had Mycroft’s hands around his throat. Greg came running after Mycroft and entered just in time to grab a hold of Mycroft.

“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?” Greg shouted placing himself between Mycroft and John

“I… I…” John stuttered

“Calm down John, breathe, and tell me what happened? Greg said calmly, as if talking to a dangerous suspect.

“I… Sherlock… I didn’t… He… I don’t…” He wasn’t even able to form a full sentence

“Look at me John” Greg said with the same impassive tone as he approached the terrified boy “Just breathe, calm down, come with me, let’s talk outside” Greg took John by the shoulders and led him out the room.

In the meantime, Mycroft approached Sherlock talking to him in a soothing voice, just as he did when his little brother was younger and had nightmares after Redbeard died.   

“Hey Sherlock, it’s me Myc, tell me what’s going on”

“HE’S DEAD! VICTOR IS DEAD!” Sherlock shouted without opening his eyes “Can’t you see it Mycroft, HE IS DEAD! It was Moriarty! DO SOMETHING!”

Mycroft realised Sherlock’s nightmare was about the day Victor Trevor died, he remembered immediately how it all happened, and the shock Sherlock must be in right now. He approached Sherlock slowly and hugged the boy, calming him down little by little

“I’m sorry Sherlock, I’m so sorry; I’ll do everything in my power to punish Moriarty. Little brother open your eyes, I need you to open your eyes!”

John was watching from the door next to Greg, his heart breaking, realising what Sherlock was dreaming about, he turned around and left to the greenhouse, he needed to clear his mind, and Violet’s greenhouse was the spot he felt the safest and more relaxed.

When Sherlock opened his eyes, Mycroft was holding him tightly. “What the hell Mycroft?” Sherlock said annoyed, pushing his brother away “Where’s John? What did you do to him?”

“Do you remember what you were dreaming Sherlock?” Mycroft asked, concern in his eyes

“Dreaming? I wasn’t dreaming. What’s going on? Mycroft… Where’s John?” Sherlock asked confusion in his voice

Mycroft realised his brother was in shock, and his brain, working how it did, might have deleted everything and had absolutely no recollection of what he had dreamed. “He's by the door Sherlock, I just came in because mummy said to wake you guys up for an early breakfast” Mycroft lied.

“Uh… Dear?” Greg came in looking upset “John just left”

“Left? Where to?” Sherlock got out of bed realizing he was stark naked, and tried to cover his body with the pillow he was holding “His clothes are here, so he can’t be far, where did he go Greg?”

“To the garden? I’m not sure though”

“Mycroft, robe please!”

Mycroft threw Sherlock his robe looking the other way, before getting up the bed and leaving Sherlock’s room with Greg.

“I’m worried about Sherlock, the nightmares are back, and he’s deleting everything after, I may have to talk to John and teach him how to handle them” Mycroft said gravely

“You’re right. I still remember how he was those first few months. Does John know what happened, or is he still out of the blue?”

“I don’t know, I guess Sherlock must have shared many things with John already, but I don’t think he knows how Sherlock “found” Victor’s body. It might hurt, but I have to tell him, I MUST protect Sherlock”

“WE love, we” Greg kissed Mycroft on the cheek leading him back to their bedroom


	20. A terrible story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t get me wrong John, I really appreciate you... But if you hurt my little brother... I WILL kill you, and let me assure you, I have the means to make it look like and accident”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some more brotherly love...

Sherlock went looking for John, he headed straight to the greenhouse; he knew John would be there, his wonderful fiancé enjoyed spending time there with his mother.  He found John sitting at one of the benches; his eyes were red and swollen, he had been crying, but why? Ah, if Mycroft did anything to John he could make it look like an accident! But what could have he said or done to John for him to be like that? As he approached his fiancé he noticed John never looked up, in fact, he was avoiding looking directly at Sherlock; he looked nervous, grinding his hands and biting his lower lip. Has he done something to John? And then it clicked, Mycroft asked him what he was dreaming, but he couldn’t remember it.

He froze for a moment, trying to get his brain to work, he felt a sharp pain in his head as the images came back running to his memory; he was there, lying next to Victor’s dead body, he tried to revive him but couldn’t, and then all went black. John saw how Sherlock fell suddenly to his feet and run as fast as he could to hold him, but by the time he reached the boy he was lying unconscious on the grass.

He carried him to a bench and ran back to the house to ask for help, the first one out the door was Greg. “What the hell happened, John?” He growled.

“He was just standing over there and fainted!” John answered, panic in his eyes “Is he okay?”

“I really don’t know. We should take him back inside” John nodded and followed Greg inside. Greg laid Sherlock in his bed and left to look for Mycroft. John took a hold of Sherlock’s hand, stroking his pale knuckles with his thumb, and his other hand caressing Sherlock’s black locks softly.

“I don’t know if you can hear me or not, but I might as well say it now. When I heard you were calling that Victor boy in your sleep, I…” his voice faltered “I felt my heart break, I know he’s you first love” John sniffled “I wasn’t sure I could make it, I even thought about… I can’t even say it…” He felt tears in his eyes, the thought of leaving Sherlock unbearable to his heart. “But the moment I put that ring on your finger, I made a promise to you to never leave you alone no matter what” He kissed Sherlock’s forehead “I’ll help you heal. I’ll be here for you always. I love you Sherlock”  

“I love you too, John” Sherlock said moving closer to John and leaning into his touch. “And yes, I was infatuated with Victor, and now I know that you are my first and only love.” He said squeezing John’s hand “I’m really sorry about this morning, I didn’t mean to hurt you; but… I had a terrible nightmare; it was about the day Victor died…”

“Want to tell me?”

“Yes, maybe sharing could help me”

“Then go ahead love, I’m all ears”

“Well, the day Victor died, I stayed at his place, we used to visit each other and have sleep overs” John sighed “Not like ours of course” Sherlock blurted. “We were kids and most times we just fell asleep after playing. That night though, Victor received some post, an envelope containing nothing but a note that said ‘I.O.U’. He held it for a while, trying to get what it meant, and in the end, tossed it in the garbage bin. Since it was late, we just sat on the bed and started talking; at some point we both fell asleep. The next morning…” Sherlock felt his chest tighten; it was getting harder to breath, his eyes welling up with tears, he tried to stop them, but they ran freely through his cheeks.

“It’s okay love, we can leave it for some other time, don’t worry” John said soothingly, holding Sherlock.

 “No, I must continue” Sherlock said firmly, wiping his eyes. “The next morning, I got up and started pocking Victor’s side, he was almost on top of me, and felt really heavy. I was feeling uncomfortable; Victor had never displayed such affection towards me. At first I thought he was joking so I pushed him lightly, but he didn’t move; “this is no longer funny” I said, pushing him harder, but he never answered” At this point, Sherlock’s body started to shiver, his hands trembling and his eyes glazed at the memory.

“I finally got away from him, moving out of the bed, when it dawned on me, like a bucket of cold water, Victor wasn’t breathing, I tried to do CPR but he was gone, who knows for how long. I screamed at the top of my lungs, trying to get some help, and by the time his parents came, I had to break the news to them and tell them that their son was dead” Tears were now covering Sherlock’s hair and ears, his breathing was shallow, and the sobbing so strong, it seemed as if he was drowning.

John looked at Sherlock intently, trying to comfort him with soft kisses to his forehead; he climbed next to him in bed and held him close. Sherlock curled next to John, a sobbing mess, unable to continue his story; he cried all his pain into John’s arms. John ran his hand over Sherlock’s back, trying to calm him, feeling his heart breaking, he couldn’t speak, his mouth was dry and his eyes stingy, he felt a few tears fall from his eyes. He couldn’t believe Sherlock had to go through that at such a young age. He felt pain and sorrow for Victor; he didn’t deserve what happened to him.

Sherlock was already feeling calmer when Mycroft came barging in. He felt relieved when he saw his baby brother was up, and he felt grateful for John, he was there for him. “John, a word please” He said, trying not to show his nervousness.

“Sure” John said, clearly scared, he had seen Mycroft's reaction earlier and he felt threatened. “I’ll be right back, my love” He said to Sherlock leaving his room.

“John” Mycroft said clearing his throat, “I wanted to… apologise… for… acting so irrationally against you… I… Well you…” It was the first time John had seen his professor so lost for words, he tried to keep a serious face but this was so great!

“So… uh… John… What I’m trying to say is that… Well… I’m sorry for the way I acted… But he is my… uh… little brother… And, well… I feel the need to protect him… He has suffered, a lot, so I have to protect him. John, you must know, I love my brother, rather deeply” John couldn’t hold it any longer but he tried with all his body not to laugh at his professor's face and this sudden confession.

“So” Mycroft continued “What I’m trying to say is that I really appreciate what you are doing for Sherlock… So, thank you, you know… for loving my little brother the way you do” At this point, John burst, he couldn’t hold it anymore, he started laughing like a maniac, looking at a very astonished Mycroft. As always, John's laughter was so contagious, that Mycroft started laughing heartfeltly, patting the youngest back and smiling at him.

“Don’t get me wrong John, I really appreciate you” Mycroft started “But if you hurt my little brother” he paused “I WILL kill you, and let me assure you, I have the means to make it look like and accident”. His voice tone more serious now than it was before.

John looked up and nodded. He wasn’t scared anymore, but acknowledged the fact that it was better not to cross his future brother in law. “Don’t worry Professor Holmes, I’ll never hurt Sherlock, at least not willingly” He said cleaning a few laughter tears from his eyes “He has become my life, and I’m willing to protect him with all I have and all I am. And that is a promise”

“Thank you John, and please, do call me Mycroft, at least when we are home”

“Sure… Mycroft… Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go back to look up for my fiancé” He turned to the door with a smug smile. 


	21. SJAS, LKS. Serious symptoms, a more serious treatment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m suffering of “SJAS”...
> 
> ...it requires a lot of LKS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some smut ahead...

“Hey love. How are you feeling?”

“Okay, but I’m suffering of “SJAS”? Sherlock said looking serious

“SJAS? And what is that?” John asked worriedly

“Serious John Abstinence Syndrome”

John just smiled and jumped to bed next to his fiancé, snuggling closer and nuzzling his neck. He was so in love with Sherlock, he was grateful that he was alive, and that he had trusted him with his innermost fears and memories.

“I love you Sherlock” he said whispering in the other boy’s ear

“I love you too John, but seriously, I may die from this SJAS, I need my doctor PRONTO!” Sherlock said teasingly

“Okay Mr. Holmes, can you please tell me your symptoms?” John asked kissing Sherlock’s neck

“Well Doctor Watson, I have an increasing swelling between my legs” Sherlock said huskily

“Hum. That is really dangerous, it must be treated immediately. What else are you feeling Sir?

“Well doctor, I feel dizzy, my palms are sweating, I feel an itch in my lips and shivers going down my spine, I also find breathing quite hard and my heart seems to be willing to leave my body any minute now”

“Well Mr. Holmes, your SJAS is in its last stages. Fortunately, I have the perfect treatment for you, it requires a lot of LKS, administered as many times a day as possible”

“LKS? And that is?”

“Love… Kisses… Sex” John said kissing Sherlock down the neck, biting him and leaving an involuntary lovebite. He opened Sherlock’s robe, enjoying his fiancé’s naked body. Sherlock responded with a moan, fumbling desperately to undo John’s pyjama trousers. John moved his hips up to better help Sherlock while disrobing him, moving his lips from his neck to his chest, wrapping his fingers around Sherlock’s cock, and moving them slowly.

Sherlock sat up slightly, pulling off his robe and tossing it to the floor. He moved his hands down to remove John’s shirt. John stopped kissing Sherlock to take off the shirt and tossed it next to Sherlock’s robe, he then attacked Sherlock’s mouth hungrily, grabbing the back of his head and moving his tongue over Sherlock’s bottom lip. In response, Sherlock grabbed John’s arse and started grinding against him desperately.

John moved to straddle Sherlock, holding his hips with both his hands, lavishing Sherlock with gentle kisses across his chest, he moved to his neck and licked it down from his earlobe to his collarbone, slowly. Sherlock let John do as he pleased, enjoying “the treatment”, but soon it was too much to handle; he grabbed John’s head and moved it up to his lips, kissing him fiercely. “John, please!” Sherlock pleaded with a whisper.

John put his fingers in Sherlock’s mouth, and he started sucking on them, while John teased his nipples with his mouth. Once he felt his fingers were wet enough, he moved his hand under Sherlock and teased his entrance. Sherlock moaned at the feeling, his body trembling with anticipation. John’s mouth covered Sherlock’s muffling the sound. His pushed one finger in, moving it in and out, slowly, teasing Sherlock further.

“Another John, please!” Sherlock begged. John complied, pushing a second finger inside, moving them slowly, turning them, stretching Sherlock enough without touching further, teasing as much as possible. John wanted this to last for a long time, but need consumed him; he pulled his fingers from Sherlock and moved slowly to his entrance, feeling his cock throbbing between his legs.

He penetrated Sherlock slowly, covering his mouth with his, swallowing Sherlock’s surprised gasp. He started thrusting slowly, with steady movements, holding Sherlock’s hips and kissing him in the lips, muffling the sounds. Sherlock overcame the surprise and moved his hands to stroke John’s back, mumbling between kisses “harder John, faster!”

John moved his hips faster, feeling his orgasm coming fast; he moved his hand to stroke Sherlock, encompassing his hand movements with their hips, feeling Sherlock clenching around him. He felt Sherlock coming in his hand, a muffled cry escaping his mouth, it took John another thrust to come inside Sherlock fast and hard. He collapsed on top of him, both catching their breath. Sherlock held John close with his arms and legs, keeping him inside.

“Fuck Sherlock, this was great!” John mumbled “You’re great, you always feel so amazing around me, always so tight and warm”

“You’re magnificent John, as always” Sherlock said gasping for air

“I love you so much”

“I love you too”

After a few moments, John moved from Sherlock slowly, and rolled to his side. “Want to take a shower?”

“Is this part of my treatment?

“Of course; and you must follow doctor’s orders strictly”

“Then lead the way doctor”

Sherlock turned on the shower stepping inside first, cleaning himself up. John followed a few seconds later, grabbing Sherlock’s arse and kissing the back of his neck. Sherlock turned around and moved slowly and teasingly against John, he could feel that John was getting hard already, so he kneeled in front of him and moved away from the water stream, and placing John under the water.

John gasped and grabbed Sherlock’s curls in his hands, he wanted Sherlock so much. Sherlock moved his tongue around John’s tip, licking slowly, curling his tongue around. He moved his mouth to take him deeper and used his hands to keep John close. He started sucking slowly at a steady rhythm, teasing John’s entrance with his fingers. He pushed one finger inside, reaching John’s prostate easily.

A cry escaped John’s mouth. Sherlock managed to excite him so much that he was ready to come. Sherlock felt John’s cock twitch in his mouth and moved faster, sucking and licking. John came with a scream, holding Sherlock’s head and moving his hips thrusting into Sherlock’s mouth.

“Fuck! Great!” Was all John could mouth. Sherlock stood and began cleaning his fiancé, washing his head and moving his soapy hands all over John’s body, holding him so he could catch his breath. John captured Sherlock’s lips and kissed him sloppily. “Oh Fuck, I love your fucking mouth Sherlock, you drive me crazy with that gorgeous sucker!”

“All for my doctor” Sherlock said kissing John in the neck. “We should get ready, my mum is up and she’ll be calling us for breakfast soon” He turned to wash his hair. “By the way, we should go and check on Mary, I hope she’s feeling better today”

“Oh, right, with all that happened; I kind of forgot that we have a full house” John said, slightly disappointed.        


	22. Glowing...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ll help you make it look like and accident”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all have a sibling like Mycroft...

As Sherlock predicted, his mother called them for breakfast less than five minutes later

“Sure Mum, we’ll be right out, John is in the shower” Sherlock replied innocently

“Yeah, right” Violet said giggling and walking away “Just hurry up boys!”

Sherlock just rolled his eyes; it was just too pretentious of him to believe their families didn’t know what they’ve been doing, no matter how quiet they were. John was as red as a beet and had to use the towel to cover his embarrassment, he looked really cute, Sherlock couldn’t keep his eyes off of him, everything about John had him head over heels; not even Victor had captured Sherlock’s spirit, mind, body, soul and being like John had.

“You have me?” Sherlock asked looking at John with loving eyes

“Forever and a day” John said without hesitation

Sherlock smiled at his fiancé and hugged him from the back “Let’s go have breakfast, I know my doctor must be starving”

“For you? Always! For food? Hum... I could eat” John said with a hint of tease in his voice

Sherlock held him closer kissing the back of his neck “Then let’s go love; so we can go back and continue my treatment”

They went to the dining room; it was already prepared for all the guests in the house. They were surprised to see that even Mary was at the table waiting for them.

“Long shower, huh boys?” Siger teased. Sherlock gave him a disapproving look, and John could barely look up, he was too embarrassed to try and look at people. ‘We were very quiet’ he thought. “This is the first time they tease us this way” He whispered to Sherlock. “I agree John” Sherlock enunciated “But I think it has to do with our new relationship status. They must assume we had some sort of celebratory intercourse”

John couldn’t believe it, Sherlock had gone mad! He had said in front of everybody what had happened, he just wanted the earth to open and swallow him. “Now John, don’t be like that. I haven’t affirmed that we are, indeed, having intercourse, people is just assuming we have”

“God” John sighed “I just wanted to have breakfast”

“You can have breakfast, there is nothing stopping you John” Sherlock said with a tinge of mockery. “Besides, does it matter to you what they presume or not?”

John looked up at Sherlock, angry, but amused at the same time, when he saw it! A huge lovebite on Sherlock’s neck, his doing! His teeth were clearly marked on the pale skin. There was no defence possible! He could only think how grateful he was that Harry wasn’t there, he would never hear the end of it. And then, cue Mycroft.

“Of course we don’t assume little brother, we know” He said looking them up and down “You should check yourself in a mirror brother dear” He said scratching his own neck in the same exact spot that Sherlock had the mark “You are… glowing”

“Mycroft, you shouldn’t be the one to talk” Sherlock smirked “We both know you’ve been involved in the same “activities” since this morning, why else would Greg have the same “glow” you claim I have” Sherlock scratched his neck, almost the same way his brother did. Greg turned red and covered his face with his hands.

“Now boys!” Violet cut them “Mycroft, must I remind you how old you and Greg were, and how… vocal you were about it? At least your brother tries to be quiet” Violet looked at her eldest with annoyed eyes

“Sorry Mummy” Mycroft looked down, even his ears were red.

“Now, please, if you all sit down it will be lovely, this is the last breakfast we have this year, and I believe we have to be very grateful for it”

“Yes Mummy” they answered in unison. “And stop embarrassing your fiancés in front of their family and friends!”

Both John and Greg were grateful that Violet had stopped them, she was really nice and protective, but firm and very understanding at the same time. “Thank you Violet” John said taking a seat next to a now very upset Sherlock. He grazed Sherlock’s thigh with his fingers, moving them up and down, feeling Sherlock relax under his touch. “I’ll help you make it look like and accident” John whispered, Sherlock looked at him and smiled, enjoying their closeness.

During breakfast they all chatted in a happy manner, Mary was looking so much better and her eyes were warm again. John felt really happy for her friend and wished for her to be better and safe soon; he wondered whether or not telling her that Charles had bailed, but in the end he decided it was best not to spoil the moment, at least not for now.  


	23. Two brothers, one deduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You think they have softened us?”
> 
> “No”
> 
> “Then?”
> 
> “I think they have just made us better”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Holmes boys in action

After breakfast they carried Mary to the living room, and shared a nice morning, Sherlock playing the violin, Mycroft the piano. Mary seemed happy again, but Sherlock could sense something was wrong about her. For lunch, Greg had decided to express his gratitude by offering an indoor barbecue. Everyone was really excited and wanted to help. The best help Sherlock and Mycroft could offer was sitting away and stop annoying people. So they sat close to Mary to keep her company.

Feeling shy, Mary was very quiet, she had just found out that her beloved professor, THE Mycroft Holmes, was gay, and soon to be married to no other than her P.E. teacher, the most handsome man she has ever seen in her life THE Greg Lestrade. And she was at the Holmes’ estate, no less! Not even in her wildest dreams she would have ever imagined being there, with people she’d only seen on magazines.  

When Mycroft sat next to her she remembered how he had carried her inside the house, and how Sherlock had offered to look after her and her family, the way the Holmes were made her smile, and understood why, in spite of being apparently annoying, irritating, infuriating, fucking pricks, and other terrible adjectives, they had managed to get such wonderful couples, their gentleness and capacity for love was almost overwhelming.

“How are you feeling Mary?” Mycroft asked

“Much better Professor Holmes”

“Please, call me Mycroft. Professor Holmes lives at school, not here” Mycroft smiled at her. He felt sorry for the little girl, and wanted to protect her in any way he could, she was, after all, a friend to his baby brother, so he saw her as a little sister.

“Hey Mar” Sherlock sat next to his brother “Looking better”

“Hey Sher” Mary smiled at him “Feeling better, thanks to you all”

“Never mind that, must I remind you that you’re a Holmes now?

“A Holmes?” Mary asked surprised

“Yup. A Holmes” Sherlock nodded “Since I’m marrying John, and John is your brother, that makes you my sister in law, so, by extension, you’re a Holmes now, so be ready to be treated, and be teased, as one of the family from now on”

Mary felt her eyes welling up, she felt safe, and thankful to have such wonderful friends.

“If you’ll excuse us Mary, but I need to talk to my brother. It’s rather… urgent” Sherlock said looking at Mycroft

“Oh, yes, excuse us dear, we’ll be right back”

Sherlock _led_ his brother to the study, he needed to confirm with him that what he thought was certain

“Let’s play deduction Mycroft” Sherlock started

“You noticed huh?” Mycroft looked at him raising his eyebrow

“Well, we’re brothers after all” Sherlock smirked

“Should we ask then?” Mycroft crossed his arms

“Maybe we should wait for confirmation” Sherlock mirrored him

“And since when you’re to wait for confirmation?” Mycroft looked amused

“Since John, Mycroft. The news may be… outraging… to say the least” Sherlock answered honestly

“Right you are brother dear”

“Since when are you to give me reason?”

“I’ll give you the same answer you gave me, Sherlock. Since Greg”

“You think they have softened us?”

“No”

“Then?”

“I think they have just made us better”

“Obviously”

“So, wait then?”

“Yup, but it will only be not to importunate Mary and upset friends and family. Did you ask the doctor?”

“Of course, it was a mandatory one”

“Is this the same doctor that saw her first, when it happened?”

“Of course. It had to be the same, in order to confirm what we suspect”

“Good”

“It was easy, just had to check her medical history”

“Such a brit intelligence man you are” Sherlock snorted

“Minor brit man” Mycroft smirked

“What course of action should we take then?” Sherlock asked, looking expectantly at his older brother

“For once, I don’t know brother dear, I really do not know” Mycroft sighed, leaning against the door frame

“It will bind her for life to him”

“I know. But in the end, it is her choice”

“When do the tests arrive?”

“Unfortunately, on the second, along with the doctor to check up on her, as requested”

“Hum. Two more days then. Well, in the mean time we have to find a way to break the news to everyone, from her parents to John. I’m sure he’ll be crushed”

“We should let the doctor do it, gather everyone around”

“That’s an idea, we’ll have to come up with something to have her parents here, maybe a dinner of some sort, I’m sure you can come up with something”

“I’ll prepare everything brother, in the meant time, we shouldn’t spoil the evening”

“I know, but I still can’t believe she’ll have to go through it, how could something like this happen, and to her most of all?”

“These things do tend to happen, though I suspect this happening to her wasn’t voluntary”

“For once, we must assume as much, or else, she would have been worried more than she already was about the beating”

“You have to keep in mind that it might have happened during the beating, how long has it been?”

“If my calculations are correct, about a week before Christmas, so she may have not noticed it yet, after all, it has been almost three weeks”

“So, she will be noticing in the next couple of days”

“Yeah, probably, maybe even a week”

“Poor girl”

“Couldn’t agree more”

“We should go back”

“Right, lead the way”


	24. A ruined escapade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...maybe he could poison his favourite teacher later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, Mycroft gets in the way

When they returned to the living room, people were ready to begin eating. John approached Sherlock with two plates and handed one to him.

“Thank you love” Sherlock smiled at his fiancé and pulled him closer for a kiss. John blushed, but responded happily to it.

“Welcome love” He said sitting close to Sherlock.

“Mummy?” Mycroft began “What are the plans for this evening?”

“Glad you asked son” Violet said cheerfully “We have many things planned for the evening. After this lovely lunch, by the way, thanks Greg! We are all going to rest so we can be all fresh to receive the New Year”

Both Mycroft and Sherlock looked at each other; it was the first time their parents weren’t out on some social event, or sharing a party with politicians and government officials, or even out of the country. Nor Sherlock, nor Mycroft could recall one New Year’s Eve spent at home, or at home alone with their parents. Definitely their relationships were affecting the whole family, and it was for the best.

The last couple of years, Sherlock had spent his holydays away from home, at a boarding school, and he was sure that Mycroft had spent them with Greg, but not with his parents. He could get used to this, a full house for every holiday; it made him feel warm inside.

“Sherlock?” John looked at him

“Yes love?” Sherlock looked up

“Are you okay?” John asked

“Sure. Why?”

“You have that look on your face”

“A look, what look, do I have looks?” Sherlock smiled

“Yes love, you have many looks, and the one you have right now is the ‘I don’t know how to feel’ look” John explained

Sherlock chuckled and locked eyes with his lover. “That’s a weird look, but no, I do know exactly how I feel”

“And how do you feel?”

“Happy”

“Well that’s good, but I have an idea, and I think it will make you happier”

“Oh really?” Sherlock lifted one eyebrow

“Yes, really”

“Okay then, care to show me?”

“Well, since you are my patient, and I have to administer your treatment, I was thinking that we should do it ASAP” John said kissing Sherlock’s ear

“May I ask what happened to your early shyness?”

“Well, since everyone already knows that we are… having sex… we should show them how it’s done” John said biting Sherlock’s ear

“Hum. Love the idea doctor” Sherlock licked his lips “Shall we?”

Sherlock took John’s plate and went to the kitchen, John followed him closely. But as usual, Mycroft was able to kill the mood with a simple request. “Sherlock” Mycroft called, an evil smirk on his lips “Since you’re heading to the kitchen, you should wash all the dishes. You know, no services during the holidays”

John rolled his eyes and went back to the living room to pick everyone’s dishes, he felt like killing Mycroft, but contained himself, maybe he could poison his favourite teacher later. Sherlock was in the kitchen, a murderous looks in his eyes. John hugged him from the back “We can plan on how to poison him with one of our experiments during science class” He said kissing his neck

“You just keep on giving me reasons to love you more everyday” Sherlock smiled

After washing all the dishes, Sherlock took John to his bedroom, he wanted John, but he was exhausted, at this moment all he wanted was to hold John and sleep for a while, before the festivities commenced. John followed Sherlock’s example and removed his clothes, he was tired too; being up since four in the morning was taking its toll on them. They climbed to bed and held each other, falling asleep almost as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

When Sherlock got up, he heard some movement around the house, he could hear his parents across the hall, in the family room, his mother humming “Auld Lang Syne”, Mycroft was in his room with Greg, sharing some “romantic” moment (shagging, why sugar coat it?), Mary was happily talking to her parents and John’s parents could be heard at the greenhouse. The house was full, and for once, Sherlock felt happy that it was so.

He hugged John closer, stroking his forehead gently with his thumb; he placed soft kisses on John’s face waking him slowly. John’s eyes fluttered open, he loved waking up next to Sherlock, but what he loved more was Sherlock waking him up that way. He was getting used to it. He trapped Sherlock with his legs and rolled them. He started kissing Sherlock in the neck and moved his hands to pin him to the bed.

“It’s really sad that we don’t have enough time to do anything” John said between kisses

“Well…” Sherlock smiled flirtatiously “We do have time for a shower”

“No you don’t” came a voice from the other side of the door

“Mycroft” Sherlock spat “You sure are quick! Does Greg find your sexual prowess fulfilling? I think you should go back and try again, or are you too tired?”

John tried not to giggle, as they heard Mycroft walking away from the door, probably muttering some curses against his younger brother.    

They started kissing slowly, feeling the need build in them, but a knock at the door startled both, it was Violet, she was calling for them to get ready and come down to the living room. Unwillingly, John let Sherlock move and head to the bathroom; he followed after shortly, finding Sherlock almost ready. He showered rapidly and left the bathroom to find a very well dressed Sherlock. He looked more handsome than ever.

He had chosen black trousers, as usual, that hugged his body in the right places; a red button up that looked magnificent against his skin; a fitted black jacket completed the outfit. He had left some clothes for John on top of the bed. John started dressing and he was surprised with the combination. Sherlock had chosen some grey trousers that fit wonderfully, a blue and silver button up and a grey jacket. 

Sherlock stood next to John and hugged him from the back. “We make a gorgeous couple, don’t you think?” he said looking at their reflection on the mirror.

“Of course we do, you look very handsome”

“So do you my love” Sherlock said kissing John in the cheek. “Shall we?”

“Yes, before they call us again” John said holding Sherlock’s hand and leading him to the door


	25. ... and a Happy New Year!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both had their eyes closed, and made it seem as if the music was flowing from them instead of the instruments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I strongly recommend listening to the Concerto before/while reading, the music makes the chapter 
> 
> Mozart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoxL6uQjDUA

They were the first downstairs. They sat at the living room waiting for their families to come down; John sat on the rug near the fire, while Sherlock tuned up his violin. The next were Mycroft and Greg, the latter carrying Mary in his arms. Mycroft sat at the piano and grazed his fingers over the keys; He looked up at Sherlock and nodded at him, immediately they both began to play “Carol of the Bells”

John, Mary and Greg just looked at each other, amazement written in their faces, they played so in tune, both concentrated, almost as if they were one with their instruments. Both had their eyes closed, and made it seem as if the music was flowing from them instead of the instruments. They didn’t realise the adults were standing behind them, Violet whipping her eyes and Siger holding her closely. It had been years since their sons had played together. The rest of the adults, including Greg’s parents that had arrived for lunch, looked at the boys in awe; it was a really wonderful sight.

“So glad you’re playing together loves” Violet said with a smile. “It has been so long!”

 “Do you accept requests?” Siger asked. Mycroft looked at Sherlock and they both nodded. They played for a couple of hours until it was time for dinner. They all went to the dining room, it was beautifully decorated, the table cloth was white, with little silver stripes; the white of the cloth matched the chairs and the curtains. The plates were white with a silver rim, and the entire cutlery was silver.

As usual, the dinner at the Holmes' household was fantastic, Sherlock’s parents were relieved to see his son eating; his appetite had improved in the last four months, all thanks to John. He was also sleeping more than a few hours a week, his skin was less pale and his overall complexion was much better. They shared a wonderful moment, their sons helping each other, sharing a nice conversation, even saying “please” and “thank you” to each other. They were being nice; they could only hope it would last.

By midnight, Sherlock and Mycroft played, at their mother’s request, “Auld Lang Syne” while she sang. Violet had a beautiful voice, and it filled the whole room. They all shared hugs and kisses, and even Mycroft and Sherlock shared a brotherly hug, under the watchful eyes of John and Greg of course. They danced until the first lights of the morning came, feeling exhausted they went to bed happy that they had new friends to share this festivities.

Once in “their” room, John and Sherlock held each other for a while, feeling content in each other’s arms; they felt happy and fulfilled, they couldn’t ask for anything more.

“Did you like the party?” Sherlock asked looking down at John

“Of course I did. It was really fun, seeing our parents being so friendly is nice, and sharing it with Mary, Greg, and their families was nice too. Even Mycroft was pleasant. The one sad thing is that Harry couldn’t be here, but it reminded me of my own family holidays. Did you have fun?” John asked, smiling widely at the memories.

“Yes, I had no idea a family holiday could be so fun”

“Really? How come?”

“Actually, this is the first time in several years, maybe ten, that we have a family party, and by that I mean a party that is shared with friends and family, and not business partners and politicians posing as “friends”. Mycroft and I were usually left alone, so this is a really big change for us” Sherlock said indifferently.

John couldn’t help but feel sad about Sherlock’s story. He had wonderful memories of his parents and his sister, of his friends and the parties that were held at his house. Yes, they weren’t rich, but they had a great treasure, they were a family. “I’ll make sure we celebrate like this every year love” John said kissing Sherlock’s neck

“I’d like that, very much” Sherlock said closing his eyes and tilting his head to give John more skin. Soon, John’s hands were desperately trying to undress Sherlock but he stopped them, pushing John’s hands softly away from him.

Sherlock started undressing John slowly, barely caressing him, enjoying the soft surprised noises he was making. John enjoyed the sweet torture, feeling electricity run down his body with every graze of Sherlock’s fingers. When Sherlock reached for his boxers, John was so hard that it was almost painful, he was expecting for Sherlock to come down on him, but he just took his boxers off.

Once John was naked, Sherlock took a step back and looked at him up and down. He took John’s hands and started kissing them slowly, moving them all over his face, feeling his pulse. John was astounded; Sherlock was usually very intense, and most times he was the first to hurry things up, he was passionate and insatiable. This Sherlock was new to John, but it was a pleasant surprise.

Sherlock began to undress himself, but now John cut him off; he moved his hands over Sherlock’s chest, opening every button slowly, his hands were trembling, it felt like the first time all over again. He caressed Sherlock’s shoulders softly, drawing them with his fingers, feeling the skin under them, how they tensed up under his touch. He moved his hands down to Sherlock’s trousers, slowly undoing the button and zipper, removing them along with his boxers.

Sherlock kicked the clothes away and stepped back, turning the stereo on and choosing his favourite concert. The delightful sounds of Mozart’s piano concerto No. 21 began rapidly, the music was intense, and the sound of violins filled the room. Sherlock turned back to look at John, his eyes gleaming, he moved closer and placed his hands on John’s hips.

The kiss was slow; sweet, Sherlock played the notes with his fingers over John’s hips, his tongue slowly caressing John’s mouth, he moved to John’s neck moving his tongue rhythmically with the music, sometimes faster, following the flute’s fast notes, sometimes slower following the violins’ long notes. John was ecstatic, he had never experienced such seduction, his skin was on fire, the blood in his veins flowing rapidly like untamed rivers, and his heart beating so fast that it seemed as if it was going to escape his chest through his mouth.

Sherlock moved closer and pushed John softly to the bed, his long fingers playing John like a musical instrument, getting wonderful sounds out of John’s mouth. He straddled John and moved slowly and gently, his hands roaming all over his chest, and his lips moving over John’s mouth like and orchestra conductor, with precise movements that produced the exact notes.

John was unable to move, the music filled his head; this was a Sherlock that he could definitely enjoy, making love to such beautiful music, being touched in such a delicate way. Feeling almost like a violin, or a piano; feeling like music. He could only respond to the kisses, no words were needed, the music made him feel like he was in heaven, and there was no one else in the whole world, but them.

John didn’t even noticed when Sherlock moved his hand under him and started caressing his entrance, Sherlock’s finger inside him was an absolute surprise; he couldn’t believe he was that relaxed, he moved his hips with the music, following the piano in his mind, feeling every note in his body. Sherlock penetrated John slowly; John opened his eyes and locked gazes with his lover. Sherlock’s eyes were soft and loving, and he looked at John as if he was a precious object. He kept on moving with the music, encompassed with John, hitting his sweet spot with every thrust.

By the time the second movement began, John was so lost in Sherlock’s movements that he felt close to come, but Sherlock slowed and followed the music, the long notes of the violin accompanied every thrust, Sherlock kissed John’s neck, as his hands held his hips, John’s hands travelled back and forth, caressing Sherlock’s back and neck, playing with Sherlock’s locks.

He kissed Sherlock’s neck and jaw, moving to find his mouth and melting in another breath-taking kiss. For John, this music became the sound of love. ‘This is how love must sound like’ he thought, he felt so happy, so fulfilled, he could only think about Sherlock, and his hands, and his body, and his lips, and his skin, and the feeling he had every time Sherlock touched him, and the music, and how loved he was by this wonderful man. 

“I love you” He whispered in Sherlock’s ear. By this moment, the third movement began and Sherlock moved faster, following the music again. “I love you” Sherlock answered “I always will, forever and a day” John got lost in the movements, hips moving together, hands clasped together, Sherlock pressed his body against John’s and moved faster, never missing the right spot and thrusting against it.

John felt his orgasm coming closer, rhythmically following the music, every crescendo driving him closer, by the time the music ended, he came untouched, just with the movements produced by Sherlock with his hips, and the friction that Sherlock’s body provided him. Sherlock followed shortly after, with the last few notes of a violin that died in their ears. The concerto ended, John hugged Sherlock tightly, never wanting this moment to end.

“If the music lasted all day and all night, I swear I’ll keep on going” John said breathlessly.

“If you want to, I can find a night and day lasting concerto” Sherlock answered while catching his breath

The boys laughed, looking at each other deeply in the eyes.

“You were amazing” John said kissing Sherlock on the lips

“So were you, this was fantastic” Sherlock nuzzled John’s neck

“I could get used to this, do it this way at least once a day”

“Your wish is my command” Sherlock answered kissing John

“I love you Sherlock Holmes, you are a wonderful man”

“And I love you John Watson, the best man I’ve ever met”

After a while, both boys drifted off, Sherlock inside of John, not moving at all. A few hours passed, and Sherlock awoke feeling aroused, he had fallen sleep inside John, on top of him. Poor John, he probably was very uncomfortable. Sherlock tried to move out, but John held him. “No, don’t you dare move, I love it” John mumbled. “As you wish love” Sherlock answered still sleepy, he slightly moved to make John feel more comfortable, but ended up pushing further inside him.

John opened his legs more and received Sherlock, a few thrusts and John was coming hard followed closely by Sherlock, no words were needed; just looks and touches pure lust and rough sex. Eventually, they drifted off again, holding each other close, not wanting to move ever again.


	26. Sad news...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole room was silent; it seemed as if a bucket of cold water had fallen on all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning. This chapter contains descritpions of violence. If you're sensitive to violence against women please DO NOT READ!

In the afternoon hours, the house was bustling with movement again, Sherlock got up, slowly, leaving John to sleep some more, he went to take a shower, but was shortly followed by John. They showered together, getting dressed really fast, they wanted to check on Mary and have something to eat.

Before they noticed it, it was time for everyone to go home. John left Sherlock feeling his heart break, but it was only for a few hours, he wanted to be with his parents for a while. When they arrived home they shared a nice dinner, and received a call from Harry, she was okay, doing better, and promised to visit sometime soon. Soon, maybe too soon for his parents, John was on his bike, with his bag all packed to spend the night over at Sherlock’s.

When he arrived, Sherlock was waiting for him in Mary’s room. They shared a nice night, talking to each other, and distracting a very worried Mary. The doctor was supposed to visit her the next day, and she felt nervous about what he may have to say. The next day, Mycroft arranged for everyone’s parents to be there. He had convinced his parents that they should have a parent’s dinner party once a week, starting right away.

Violet accepted happily, it was a nice change of pace from their usually busy lives. They were finished with dinner when the bell rang. It was the doctor to check on Mary. This time it was Greg the one that carried Mary to the bedroom, helping her to get comfortable. The doctor followed them and then stayed with Mary to check her injuries and change some of her dressings.

Once the doctor was out of the room, Mycroft asked to talk to him, and signalled Sherlock to follow. Once in the living room, the brothers shared a look, Sherlock nodded and left to look for John, he was keeping Mary company, but they needed to tell him whatever news were on the way.

Sherlock lead John back to the living room, feeling sad for the obviously terrible bad news they were about to receive. John could feel something was wrong, and he was about to ask Sherlock when the boy turned to him and hugged him strongly. “I love you John, so much, please remember that”

“I love you too Sherlock. What is going on?” John was clearly worried, imagining the worst. Was Mary gravely ill?

“You’ll know in due time” Sherlock answered trying to hide his worry.

Sherlock held John’s hand and entered the living room. The doctor was in the middle of the room, facing Mary’s parents; they had an eager expression on their faces, waiting for news. Sherlock cleared his throat and looked at his brother; at this, Mycroft nodded to the doctor and the man began to explain.

“Well, as you all know, the young lady sustained several injuries; produced by…” the doctor cleared his throat “several blunt force… blows…” the doctor swallowed hard “to her face and body, producing a fracture to her left tibia, that would heal in four more weeks; fractures to her right radius and ulna that will heal in six weeks. She also sustained damage to her 5th and 6th right intercostal, product of the same blunt force blows” The doctor looked disgusted “Luckily; there was no internal bleeding, and no punctured lungs or organs. She has a hair line fracture under her left eye socket and a fractured nose, both will be healing in three to five weeks, if she follows my instructions strictly, absolute bed rest for the next five weeks; and most important, no strong emotions, the pregnancy may be viable, and she will no longer be in the risk of a miscarriage” The doctor said. “But I’ve been wondering; was this planned?” The doctor asked “Because, if my calculations are correct, the product maybe less than four weeks, and by the time I first checked on her, she showed some signs of possible” The doctor looked uncomfortable “Sexual abuse” he finished.

The whole room was silent; it seemed as if a bucket of cold water had fallen on all of them.

“Thank you doctor” Mycroft said, breaking the silence, and leading the doctor to the office to pay him, and then lead him to the front door.


	27. Bad news...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A blind rage consumed John, unable to move, or blink, or even breathe, he felt his eyes sting with the tears that threatened to fall, his blood boiling in his veins; he looked to Mary’s parents, and their faces said it all, they were sad, disappointed, guilty. They were all guilty!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning. This chapter contains swearing. If you don't agree with it please don't read

John’s mind was going a million miles a second. Mary, his Mary, his sister, his best friend, the only woman he has ever loved besides his mother and sister, was pregnant! Pregnant with Magnussen’s child! Fucking Magnussen! The fucker raped Mary! Had he no consciousness? How could this have happened to HIS Mary?

A blind rage consumed John, unable to move, or blink, or even breathe, he felt his eyes sting with the tears that threatened to fall, his blood boiling in his veins; he looked to Mary’s parents, and their faces said it all, they were sad, disappointed, guilty. They were all guilty!

Sherlock squeezed John’s hand, feeling him tense up. “Did you know about it Sherlock?” He asked, rage in his voice

“I suspected it, but I wasn’t sure” Sherlock admitted.

“Swear it” John demanded

“I swear on our love” Sherlock squeezed John’s hand again

“Does Mary know?” Feeling Sherlock’s hand was helping John relax, but he still felt like a feral beast that had lost its pray.

“No, the doctor told us first, Mycroft asked him to tell us first”

“Did Mycroft know before we did?” John felt anger rise again

“He suspected it too, but he wasn’t sure either, that’s why he asked the doctor for a full set of tests” Sherlock was feeling guilty, he felt responsible; he should have said something, maybe if he had said something this would have never happened.

“Could you please hold me?” John asked, sadness in his voice, He felt overwhelmed and overcome with pain and anger.

Sherlock hugged John tightly, placing soft kisses to his forehead and stroking his back with soothing movements. “Want to go somewhere?” Sherlock asked softly

John nodded against Sherlock’s chest.

“Is my room okay?”

John nodded again

“Excuse us, we have some things to discuss” Sherlock said to the perplexed adults, leaving the room with John.

Once in his room, Sherlock helped John sit on the bed and sat next to him. They were silent for a moment, Sherlock waited for the news to sink in. John moved and rested his head on Sherlock’s lap, his face pressed against Sherlock’s stomach. Sherlock moved his hand and caressed John’s head, waiting patiently for his lover’s reaction.

John cried for what seemed forever, breaking Sherlock’s heart. Silent tears fell down his face, damping Sherlock’s shirt, Sherlock never moved, he wanted to be there for John. When John finally calmed down, he looked up at Sherlock with grateful eyes.

“Thank you for being here love” John said with a shaky voice

“Forever and a day” Sherlock answered softly

“I’m sorry, I am angry!” John growled

“I understand love”

“She’s my sister! More than my sister, she is my friend!”

“Yes love”

“Why, explain to me why?”

“Why what?”

“Why she didn’t trust me?”

“I don’t think it’s a matter of trust, it’s more a matter of fear. She was afraid, love. Not everyone is as strong and brave as you are, she felt threatened, and she didn’t want Magnussen to hurt you”

“That is not an excuse!” John growled again

“Fear is a very potent weapon” Sherlock said calmly

“I still don’t understand”

“I know love. I’m sorry”

“What are we going to do?”

“Be there for her love, there is nothing left to do”

“Right, let’s go, we need to be there before they tell her”

“Let’s”      

Once in Mary’s room, her parents had come to break the news to her, Sherlock and John sat on each side of the bed, holding Mary’s hand, and waited for her parents to gather enough strength to tell her.

“Mary dear” her mother began “We have some news for you”

“Yes Mummy?” Mary said looking up at her parents

“The doctor said you’re going to be all right, that you have to rest a lot, and that you may be up and about in five weeks”

“That’s great Mummy, I’m so happy” She beamed

“Sadly, that’s not all sweetie” Her mother said, tears rolling down her cheeks

“Were you aware that you are pregnant?” Her father blurted

“Wha…” Mary was astonished “No way, no, that cannot be, I’ve never…”

The room was suddenly silent, she was forced, and she didn’t recall it happening to her

John looked at Sherlock, and Sherlock nodded and they both left the room. “Call Mycroft, we have to find the bastard!”

Sherlock nodded and held John’s hand. He knocked at Mycroft’s door and asked if they could come in. Mycroft nodded and moved from the door to let them in

“As suspected, she had no idea” Sherlock said looking at Mycroft

“The bastard” John muttered.

“So, he did in fact forced her” Mycroft sighed

“She didn’t even remembered it happening to her” John spat

“Fuck!” Was all Greg could say “We have to find him, I’ll call my partner to ask her for help” Greg went to the bathroom to call her.

“Mycroft, you know what to do” Sherlock looked at his brother

“Of course, leave it to me. I’ll make it look like an accident” Mycroft smirked.

“Come John” Sherlock took John’s hand and left his brother’s room, a smug smile on his face


	28. About Mary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Afterwards, he apologised and bought her flowers and gifts. She had lost count of how many gifts Charles had given her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning. This chapter contains descriptions of violence. If you're sensitive to violence against women please DO NOT READ!
> 
> Author's Note: The hardest choice a woman has to make is this one… I’ve based this chapter on self-experience (sorry…) I find violence against women reproachable (being a victim of it myself), but at the same time I know that we are the ones that have the power to stop it, it’s hard at first, but possible. If by any chance you suffer from violence contact the police, find help, tell a friend, the first step is always the hardest, but there is light at the end of the tunnel (I know, I'm a survivor).

That night was a sleepless night for everyone. Everyone’s parents went to their respective homes, Mycroft had told them that Magnussen was bailed, and that they had to keep things as normal as possible. He assured Mary’s parents that Magnussen had no idea that Mary was staying with them, he had spread the rumour, just in case Magnussen had been asking, that Sherlock had insisted on having all his friends and their parents at his engagement announcement.

Mycroft also managed to hire a Mary look alike to “move” around houses, “staying” one night over at Molly, another one at John’s and so on. He also had increased security at everyone’s houses and work places, including Molly and Mike, even though they haven’t shared his brother and John’s happiness.

John went to check up on Mary, but she was asleep, Violet had given her a sedative to help her sleep better; she was so shocked, she couldn’t believe what had happened to her, she couldn’t even remember it, after the third punch she was out, if it hadn’t been for Mike and Molly, she might even be dead. They had no idea they had saved her, scaring Charles off. Her mother had found her, lying on her bed, covered in blood.

It all happened when she had refused to do what Charles demanded. Charles wanted to “make her his”, as he so “eloquently” put it, but Mary wasn’t sure. This was supposed to be “a proof of love” to him, but to her, it was stupid to show love by having sex. Of course she loved Charles, and Charles seemed to love her, at least it was what he said all the time. He loved her, surely, in a very twisted way. The first time he was violent, she thought it was her fault, he had yelled at her, saying things like “you’re so stupid”, or “you’re so ugly”.

She was convinced that she was stupid and ugly, that nobody could ever love her, that she was lucky that Charles had found her and that he had chosen her. After a while, he tried to convince her to do all sorts of things, from drinking to trying drugs, she managed not to do it, but Charles will punish her by ignoring her for a couple of weeks, even a month. She would have to apologise afterwards, and he will be all lovely and corny trying to convince her again to do something stupid.

The first time he had hit her it was all because of a beverage, she had corrected him, telling the waiter the correct name of the drink. He started acting weird and was silent during their date. He walked her home and before letting her in, ha had yelled at her, telling her not to embarrass him again like that, that she was useless and stupid. He had shaken her so hard by the arms, that he left finger marks all over her upper arms; that she had to cover them for several days. Afterwards, he apologised and bought her flowers and gifts. She had lost count of how many gifts Charles had given her.

But now, he had his way with her, hell, he raped her! and now there was a baby on the way. What was she going to do? Did she want the baby? It meant she will be bound to him for life, that’s what this baby meant. No, she wasn’t willing to be, but the baby wasn’t to blame. What to do? Keep it? She will be very pregnant by the end of the school year, and yes, no matter what choice she made, she had John, and Sherlock, and she was a Holmes, and a Watson, and most importantly, a Morstan!

Not keeping it? She might be able to go to Uni, she will be loved anyway, but how would she feel? She had so little time to think. A reminder of what happened forever? Or unconditional love forever? Or both? How could she love and hate at the same time? She had to talk to her friends, she was sure they would help her think things through. She felt tired, scared, infuriated, sad, angry. She couldn’t have that baby, could she?

She had plans, real plans, she wanted to go to Uni and study law, she wanted to be a lawyer, and a baby wasn’t in her plans. She thought about having kids, but not that way, not like that. She had her first time and it wasn’t at all as she imagined; hell! She didn’t remember it! A baby was supposed to be the product of love, right? Or was this right?

She woke up sweating and screaming, her whole body was shaking and she felt a sharp pain in her tummy. Something was wrong. She called for help and the first one through the door was Professor Holmes. She covered herself, feeling really shy and self-conscious, she was sure he knew everything that had happened to her.

“Are you okay Mary? What’s going on?” Mycroft asked concerned

“I don’t feel right, something feels wrong, my tummy really hurts” Mary said, pain in her voice

“What happened?” Sherlock asked bursting through the door with John.

“She’s in pain” Mycroft answered.

“Did you call the doctor?” Sherlock asked approaching the bed

“Not yet, just came in” Mycroft said getting his phone and calling 999

Soon, all the Holmes family was in Mary’s room, Greg was waiting by the door and John was sitting next to his friend.

“Where is the pain?” John asked Mary, his soon to be doctor mode fully on

“Here” Mary said showing with her hand the right side of her lower tummy.

“It comes and goes?”

“Sort of. It’s like as if I had a knife piercing me”

“Do you feel anything else?”

“Yes, I feel dizzy”

After that, she fainted, collapsing on John’s arms. John looked up at Sherlock, clearly worried. Sherlock moved next to John, placing a hand on his shoulder. Soon, the ambulance’s siren could be heard at the front door and some paramedics getting into the house.

On the way to St. Bart’s, Mycroft called Mary’s parents, they all gathered at the waiting room. About fifteen minutes later, the doctor came and said that he had to operate on Mary. She presented an ectopic pregnancy, and the product wasn’t viable, they only needed her parents’ signatures to proceed. A couple of hours later, the doctor came out to announce that she was alright and that her parents could go to her room and be with her.

Mary woke up in the early hours of the morning, her mother looking right at her, as if to make sure she was awake.

“What happened mummy?” She asked with a coarse voice “Where am I?”

“You’re at the hospital sweetie, you just had surgery” Her mother answered, sadness and worry in her voice

“Surgery? Why?” Mary was confused and dizzy

“Mary” her mother tightened her grip on her hand “I have some news for you sweetie” She cleared her throat “You had an ectopic pregnancy, do you know what that means?”

Mary nodded, remembering anatomy class. Her teacher was very thorough as she explained the whole insemination process. She looked at her mother, knowing immediately what had happened, the baby was no more. She had no idea how to feel. Relieved? Sad? Thankful? She had known about the baby for less than twenty four hours, it wasn’t meant to be, was it? It was an accident after all, a sad, terrible, yet kind of wonderful accident. This meant that she was free of Charles, but, she wanted to be free of the baby? She was going to be okay, was she? She just cried; she wanted this nightmare to be finally over.


	29. Forgive and forget?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Molly looked at John and stretched her hand to him, it was a silent apology, but sometimes, amongst friends, no words are needed. John held her hand and squeezed it tightly, a wide smile on his face. He was happy to have his friends there with him, but it was sad that it had to be under these circumstances. Mary stretched her hands too, one to John, the other to Molly, at this Mike moved closer and they all put their hands together, looking at each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mike and Molly are back! God I love strong friendships!

They spent the next three days at St. Bart’s, taking turns to take care of Mary. They were the only ones that could help, especially because all parents and brothers and guardians had to work. The second day, Molly went to visit Mary; she was shocked at the sight of her friend, and felt guilty that she had practically abandoned her.

“How are you feeling?” Molly asked with her mousy voice

“I can’t tell. Really” Mary answered, looking down

“What happened?” Molly was about to cry

“Charles…” Mary sighed. “He…” she started crying

“Oh, Mary. I’m sorry, so sorry” Molly said holding her close.

Mary was crying profusely, she still didn’t know how to feel, she felt sad, but relieved, angry and strangely happy. John and Sherlock witnessed the scene, John wanted to run to hold Mary, but Sherlock stopped him, the two girls needed some time alone, it was better for them to leave for a while, let them share a moment. Sherlock took John’s hand and guided him out of the room, at the hall, they bumped into Mike; he was deciding whether or not to enter the room.

Mike shifted uncomfortably, but John held him by the arm, not releasing Sherlock’s hand. “Stop avoiding me” John said angrily “You’re supposed to be my best friend, my brother!” John tried to keep his voice down, but after almost four months of utter abandonment, he wasn’t willing to let things slide again.

“Mike” John started “I need for you to know that you are very important to me” He said trying to lock gazes with his friend. Sherlock let John’s hand go, as to walk away and let the two estranged friends reconnect; but John’s firms grasp on his hand wouldn’t budge. John looked up at Sherlock and shook his head. He could see in his fiancé’s eyes that he wanted him to stay.

“But” John continued “Sherlock is as important as you, Mary and Molly are. I have enough room in my heart to love more than one person. I need you to understand that you’re my brother, not in blood, but in life, and that if you decide never to talk to me again; it will hurt me more than you can imagine” his voice faltered “but I won’t give Sherlock up, he is my life, and I love him, even if you don’t agree with it” John finished, letting Mike’s arm out of his grasp.

John had expected Mike to run off, but instead, he found Mike’s arms around his shoulders, holding him in a firm embrace. “John, I’ve missed you. I’m sorry… I just…” Mike looked down, embarrassment in his face “I just thought that now that you have Sherlock you wouldn’t need me around… I was jealous…” He muttered under his breath.

John moved his free hand over his friends' shoulder and patted it, as if to assure him he was still there. “I’m glad we’re friends Mike, I’m glad you’re my friend…” John chocked a bit letting his friend go out of this awkward, yet fulfilling embrace. “I think by now Mary and Molly should be done talking, shall we?” John asked and Mike nodded.

Sherlock was, yet again, a silent witness to a heartfelt scene between two friends. He was happy for John, he wasn’t used to sentiment, he found it unproductive, but since John, everything had changed, and for once, he felt happy that he belonged to such a wonderful man, that he was part of something even bigger than just a relationship with someone, that he was on his way to have true friends.

They went back to Mary’s room, she was still crying, Molly holding her closely. John approached the bed, timidly, not knowing how Molly would react. When she first saw them, after so long, she was shy, and avoided to look at them. Sherlock read her instantly, she was ashamed, she felt guilty, and she was willing to let things go, and to prove it, she was wearing the bracelet they had given her for Christmas.

Molly looked at John and stretched her hand to him, it was a silent apology, but sometimes, amongst friends, no words are needed. John held her hand and squeezed it tightly, a wide smile on his face. He was happy to have his friends there with him, but it was sad that it had to be under these circumstances. Mary stretched her hands too, one to John, the other to Molly, at this Mike moved closer and they all put their hands together, looking at each other.

Sherlock was standing by the door, mixed emotions went by his mind, he was happy that John was reunited with his friends, but at the same time he felt sad that he wasn’t there since the beginning. They had been friends for so long, and Sherlock was some new addition, not really a friend, not yet, just John’s boyfriend. He was about to leave the room when in unison they all called him.

He approached the bed and stood next to John, still feeling like an outsider. John moved his hand away from Molly’s grip and stretched it out to Sherlock. He intertwined their fingers and moved their hands to the others. Their friends held their hands, with a firm grasp, in a silent friendship oat; they had to protect each other.


	30. A birthday disaster?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He might be at the greenhouse John, go get him” Mycroft said knowingly, his brother used to hide there in order to… Mycroft shook his head, in hopes that Sherlock didn’t have a hidden stash somewhere “NOW” he made it sound like an order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is about drug abuse. If sensitive, please DON'T READ

Being worried about everything, Sherlock had completely forgotten that the next day was his birthday. They had arrived from the hospital and went straight to bed feeling really exhausted, the emotions of the day having drained them to the bone. He woke up  the next morning to find a smiling John at his side, he was getting used to get up that way, and after what had happened over the last couple of weeks, having him by his side, meant that John was safe.

Being the last Sunday before school, Sherlock had decided to spend the whole day with John, maybe going out for lunch or something, checking on Mary’s mom, and making up for the sexless days they had during their stay at the hospital to tend on Mary.

“Good morning love” John said beaming

“Morning” Sherlock answered sleepily

Sherlock moved closer to kiss John, feeling the desire grew more with each breath. John held him closer, feeling the same urge. Sadly, by the time the kiss grew deeper and more passionate, a knock on the door startled them both.

Sherlock’s parents entered the room, followed by Mycroft and Greg; he was holding a fragile looking Mary in his arms. Thank God they were wearing their pyjamas! John felt subconscious and tried to hide his face under Sherlock’s arm, but when he saw that they were holding a cake, he jumped out of bed and stood next to Siger and Violet.

Sherlock hid his head under the pillow; avoiding their gazes as he heard the dreaded “Happy Birthday” song. They were all singing at the top of their lungs. He had expected it from his parents, even from Greg and John, but Mycroft? What the hell? Since when his brother was being so nice and… brotherly? Ugh… Sentiment… And from no other that the “iceman” Mycroft… The disappointment…

“Get up sweetie!” His mother demanded. Grudgingly, Sherlock looked up and got out of bed. He blew the candles, all sixteen of them, and then tried to go back to bed, but was stopped by his mother, she was holding his arm tightly. “Now dear, go get ready, we’re having guests for breakfast”

Sherlock sighed and nodded, his whole morning ruined. He didn’t even remembered it was his birthday, he just wanted to be with John before school started again…

John looked at Sherlock as he hid himself in the bathroom. He felt his heart swell with love for the grumpy boy. He was planning on gifting Sherlock something he might find interesting. He was leaving his bike to Sherlock and wanted to teach him how to ride it. He placed the keys inside a small box and hid it on Sherlock’s night stand. He waited for the boy to enter the bathroom before getting the little box out and placing it on top of Sherlock’s pillow.

He followed Sherlock to the bathroom, and got inside the shower with him. He embraced Sherlock from the back and kissed his shoulder blades slowly, just wanting to feel the other boy’s skin against his lips. Sherlock turned around and held John by the waist, his hands griping his hips and getting closer.

Sherlock kissed John passionately, but John moved away from the arousing kiss and kissed Sherlock chastely on the cheek. “Not now, we have a breakfast to attend to” John said pushing Sherlock away and pouring some shampoo in his hands as to keep them occupied. He had never refused to fool around but this day was a really big mark.

Sherlock pouted and felt a sting of pain at the rejection, he moved away and rinsed his head, not even glancing at John, his arousal deflated and a strange feeling of loneliness pooling at the bottom of his stomach. ‘I have to get used to this’ He thought ‘after all, John will be leaving and I’ll be all on my own, again’.

He finished showering and turned the water off, without looking back at John or considering if he had finished or not. He hid on his mind palace, fleeing from the intense feelings he was having, he hadn’t forgotten what Mycroft has told him so many years ago “Caring, brother dear, is not an advantage”

John was left on his own, shampoo in his head and no running water. He watched as Sherlock left the bathroom, without even looking at him. John’s heart was crushed, he never imagined that Sherlock would treat him that way, but maybe; just maybe, it was that he had felt rejected and acted out on it. He turned the water back on and stood under it for a while, wishing for it to take the pain, anger and anguish along with the suds.

John heard the door open and close; Sherlock had left the room, and wasn’t even acknowledging that John was still in the bathroom. His heart beating fast and randomly; while waves of emotional pain crashed all over his body, he felt a crumbling sensation, his legs unresponsive. How could he survive for months without Sherlock? He couldn’t even survive without him for a few hours. And then it hit him, Sherlock must have been thinking about the same… Three years weren’t too much, but weren’t enough either…

John left the bathroom and got dressed really fast. He looked over the bed and saw the little box still lying on Sherlock’s pillow, he grabbed it and opened it; the keys were still there… Sherlock didn’t even notice it. He ran down the stairs to find literally everyone he knew waiting for them at the dining room. He looked all over the place but Sherlock was nowhere to be seen.

“Hum”. He cleared his throat calling for everyone’s attention “Has anyone seen Sherlock?” He asked.

“He was just with you, wasn’t he” Violet asked

“Yes, he was, but… he kind of got… angry… and just left” John said, looking down

“What did you do to him” Mycroft growled

“Nothing” John sighed “Just reminded him of breakfast”

Mycroft looked at John and immediately understood what had happened, as always, his little brother was acting out, it happened every time whenever he didn’t get what he wanted.

“He might be at the greenhouse John, go get him” Mycroft said knowingly, his brother used to hide there in order to… Mycroft shook his head, in hopes that Sherlock didn’t have a hidden stash somewhere “NOW” he made it sound like an order.

John left the room, running as fast as he could hoping that Sherlock was at the greenhouse, and that he would be willing to listen to him. This wasn’t at all what he had planned for Sherlock’s birthday…

John found Sherlock in the greenhouse, sitting amongst the rose bushes. His head down, his fingers steepled under his chin in his usual thinking pose. John approached slowly, he didn’t want to startle Sherlock, but at the same time, he knew that a train could pass by and Sherlock might not even notice it, every time he went into his mind palace he would forget that John was there, but was startled easily by John’s touch.

“I’m sorry” John said softly “I really am” He kneeled close to Sherlock, not daring to touch him. “I know you might not even be listening to me, whenever you are in your thinking pose it's like you’re out of the world, but either way, whether you’re listening to me or not, I want you to know that I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

Sherlock looked at John intently, opening his eyes and locking gazes. “There is nothing you have to apologise about John” Sherlock said, with a slightly shaky voice, he tried to keep his composure but was failing at it. He had run to the greenhouse, hoping to find some “relief” but remembered that after his first night with John he tossed it all, so he just sat there trying to will himself out of the need to shoot up.

“The fault is entirely mine for expecting you to do as I please” Sherlock said, a few stray tears falling down his cheeks. He cleaned them up hurriedly, as if trying to hide them from John.

John held Sherlock’s face in his hands, feeling the guilt build up and travel from his stomach to his throat. “I didn’t mean it that way, love” John said kissing Sherlock’s forehead, while brushing the tears away “I’m so sorry. I just wanted to celebrate your birthday with everybody before we could celebrate it together, no interruptions”

Sherlock looked up, his eyes gleaming and a small smile appearing on his lips. “Are you sure?” He asked, doubt still in his voice.

“Of course love! I have a big day planned, especially because it’s the first birthday I get to share with you, I wanted everything to be especial. Are you going to spoil your surprise?” John asked pretending to be serious and annoyed, but with a smile clearly reflected in his eyes.

“Then let’s get this darn breakfast over with” Sherlock said getting up and stretching his hand out to John to help him up.

“Wait” John pulled Sherlock to him “Happy birthday love” he said kissing Sherlock passionately. Sherlock felt his knees turning into jelly, he held John close as not to fall to his knees. John held him even closer, trying to control himself. He moved against Sherlock and felt the boy getting hard; he thrust Sherlock and felt a pang in his thigh, the box with the keys was in between them.

John moved away, leaving a breathless Sherlock gasping for air. “Here” John said, pulling the little box off his trousers’ front pocket. “Happy birthday”

Sherlock took the box and remembered that he had seen it before, it was on his pillow. He opened the box and looked at John with questioning eyes. “Why are you giving me your bike keys?” He asked with wonder in his voice and eyes.

“That’s the surprise love” John said lovingly “Want to learn how to ride it?” He asked, beaming at Sherlock

Sherlock just nodded, still surprised. It was a wonderful surprise. He knew how much that bike meant to John, and giving a set of keys to Sherlock meant more than anything in the world, it meant that John trusted Sherlock enough to lend him his bike.

“Then come. I’m starving you spoiled git” John said teasingly, treading his fingers with Sherlock’s and holding them up to kiss them.


	31. Motorbikes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...he turned the bike on and felt it purr. The sensations traveling all over his body, it was almost as exciting as having John touching him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one...

After breakfast, all the youngsters left the Holmes estate. Greg and Mycroft drove Mary, and Mike was in charge of Molly, whilst John took Sherlock on his bike. John had planned with all his friends and his brother in law, to take Sherlock to Lee Valley; he knew of Sherlock’s love for riding and wanted to gift him with as many experiences as possible.

Along the way to the park, he decided it was time to teach Sherlock to steer the bike. He stopped at the beginning of the highway and instructed Sherlock on the basics of driving a bike. John had a Thunderbird Nightstorm, he had saved almost all his life to get that bike. It was a relatively easy bike to ride.  Sherlock had seen John steer and change gears, he wanted to steer the bike since he first rode it, and had been paying attention to John’s movements.

 “Okay. Now, the transmission is here, at your left on the handlebar, to change gears you have to use the pedal here, you get to first by pushing it down and the other gears by pushing it up. This is the gas pedal; you push it in order to go faster after you change gears. To slow down, you can change gears too. The breaks are on each side of the handlebar, the one to your left is the rear brake; and the one to your right the front brake”. John explained, showing an eager Sherlock the bike’s many features. “This is the odometer, as you know it shows the speed, this here is the fuel gauge”

“Okay love, first, turn the bike on and feel it” John said, standing next to Sherlock. “The bike is heavy, so let’s star slow first”

Sherlock nodded and followed John’s instructions; he turned the bike on and felt it purr. The sensations traveling all over his body, it was almost as exciting as having John touching him.

“Okay love” John said looking at him “Now give it a try”

Sherlock looked at John, slightly nervous. He changed gears to neutral and turned the bike on, then changed to first and pushed the gas pedal ever so slightly, the bike moved a few metres, Sherlock was steering perfectly, he changed to second and the bike moved a few more metres, then Sherlock stopped it, he wanted to share this moment with John, he turned the bike and rode it to get closer to John.

John was smiling widely, he knew Sherlock was a fast learner, but never imagined he could get this so fast. He jumped in the back of the bike, holding Sherlock close by the waist. “Okay love, let’s go, I’ll tell you when to turn” Sherlock was exhilarated, not even the best prepared cocaine had made him feel the way he felt now, of course sex with John was better than anything, and he could never get enough of it, but this was the second best.

Sherlock drove all the way to the park, getting better at driving with every kilometre. When they pulled over, a worried looking Mycroft was waiting for them. When he saw that Sherlock was the one driving, his face turned white and immediately felt the urge to kill John, but the smile on his brother’s face said it all, he was happy.

John took Sherlock to the stables, whilst the others chose to walk, Mycroft and Greg took care of Mary; each taking turns to push her wheelchair. Once at the stables, Sherlock’s eyes widened, he only had the chance to ride during riding seasons and trainings, and school breaks, mostly summers, back at their country estate.

Now it was Sherlock’s turn to teach John to ride, he explained to John that first and foremost he must be confident, not showing any fear to the horse, he chose a beautiful honey coloured roan mare for John and a black stallion for himself. He helped John up the horse and they went for a long ride through the park. The Holmes name in full action again, giving them the chance to go to places that others weren’t allowed.

By noon, John was starving. Sherlock could ride all day, it helped him think and clear his mind. He looked over at John, the other boy looking dazed at the sight in front of him. Sherlock looked so sexy riding the horse, confident and gorgeous. John started feeling the urge to have Sherlock right then and there. 

They went back to the stables and gathered with their friends, Mike had taken Molly to the skating rink and Greg and Mycroft had taken Mary to the gardens. John let Sherlock drive them back, but instead of going back home, John asked Sherlock to stop the bike before entering the busier streets of London, he wanted to invite him to eat, just the two of them.          

John took Sherlock to Chinatown, to his favourite restaurant. They shared a great meal, as always John finishing Sherlock’s plate, but in the end they both ate. After lunch, John drove Sherlock back to his house, and run upstairs to pack a bag for the night, they had agreed on spending the last Sunday before school at John’s house. Molly was spending the night with Mary, so they didn’t feel guilty for leaving her alone.


	32. Of love and music

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The room smelled like John, the sweet smell of honey and strawberry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> John’s playlist for Sherlock, I hope you enjoy the songs!  
> https://open.spotify.com/user/arqueogaby04/playlist/3xvMDlOxk92uVDYJwvgYLg  
> PS: If it doesn’t work let me know and I’ll make a list

They arrived shortly after to John’s house, they were alone. John’s parents were out with everyone else’s parents, on their “weekly” outing. It had become a nice group of adults that went out most days after work, sharing ladies nights and guys’ nights out; it was a nice change for both Sherlock’s and John’s parents, they were becoming friends rather quickly.

John left Sherlock at the living room and went to prepare his bedroom, he wanted the night to be special; he knew his parents will be coming late, so he wanted to give Sherlock the rest of his birthday present. He went up to his room to lit some candles, he prepared the soundtrack he had created for Sherlock, as a payback for the concerto Sherlock had given him new years’ morning.

He remembered he had bought a new lube that had stimulant on it, it guaranteed “increased sensations and pleasure”, but he left it on his bike. He went back down and asked Sherlock to wait for him back in his room. “I just remembered I left the bike gloves out, I don’t want them to get ruined” John lied, knowingly feeling his gloves in the pocket of his jacket. Sherlock just nodded and went up to wait for John

Once he entered the room he was surprised by the whole arrangement, candles lit in the desk and bedside tables, some placed on the window frame, filling the room with a delicate golden shine. He divested himself and waited for John, lying, fully naked on his bed. This room was as much as John as it could be. The walls were painted white, and were filled with posters of movies and TV shows. There was a Dr. Who poster; and some movie posters too, from Star Wars to The Lord of the Rings. Sherlock had no idea what those movies or shows were about but they reminded him of John.

A guitar case was showing under the bed, lying still on top of the carpet that covered part of the wood flooring. Over the desk were a lot of books and papers, some medicine books that John had acquired for school, next to the doctor’s bag that Sherlock gave him for Christmas. The room smelled like John, the sweet smell of honey and strawberries.

A dresser was placed against one of the walls, on top of it were pictures of John with his friends and family, and one right in the centre of them all of the both of them, Mary took them that photo, they were staring at each other lovingly, right after Sherlock’s performance, so he was still dressed as Orlando and John was wearing a nice grey suit, they were holding hands, and it was just before they kissed. Next to the dresser, stood a bookcase with mystery novels, poetry, medicine, anatomy, and chemistry books.

As always, John’s double bed was tightly made, with white cotton sheets and a creme duvet. The curtains matched the room; they were creme, clearly made by his mother. One wall was light blue, it matched perfectly with the rest of the room, a corkboard on it had a lot of pictures of Sholto and Sarah, Mary, Molly and Mike, others were of Harry, and most of them Sherlock’s, there were notes they had shared during classes and Sherlock’s phone and address next to a strawberry candy wrap. Sherlock smiled, his John was such a romantic. Sherlock always felt home at John’s room, buy in the end, they could have been under a bridge, that as long as he was with John, he was home.    

When John returned he stood at the door frame contemplating the beauty that Sherlock was, all naked, lying on his bed, eyes closed, completely relaxed. The candle lights were mesmerizing, they danced over Sherlock’s skin like traces of honey or sunshine. John was head over heels for the boy, his heart stopped for a second, before beating fast again. He loved Sherlock deeply.

He entered the room quietly and turned the speakers on, he placed his phone on top of the speaker and the first piano chords of John Legend’s “All of me" began to play. John moved closer to the bed and hovered over Sherlock. He opened his eyes and locked gazes with John.

“What’s with the music?” Sherlock asked moving to the side to give John room.

“It’s a playlist I made for you” John answered lying next to Sherlock

“Who’s singing? Never heard the song”

“That’s John Legend, and the song is called “All of me””

“It’s nice” Sherlock said closing his eyes and enjoying the piano

 “Glad you like it, every song makes me think of you” John said kissing Sherlock

Sherlock opened his mouth receiving John’s tongue. The kiss moved along with the music, John’s mouth moving along with the lyrics “All of me loves all of you”. John moved down Sherlock’s neck, kissing all the way down to his chest, his tongue drawing small circles all over, until his tongue touched the hardened nipple.

Sherlock responded with a moan, arching his back to John’s mouth. John teased the nipple with his tongue, licking and nipping at it, moving one hand to Sherlock’s curls and the other to his side, moving it slowly down, feeling the skin under his hand bristle, he moved lower, kissing all the way down to Sherlock’s stomach, licking his navel and moving slowly to his hips, nibbling and licking, ignoring the ever growing arousal. He traced his tongue over Sherlock’s thigs, moving slowly back up to Sherlock’s cock. John licked it up and down, his tongue twirling at the tip, never coming down fully, he moved his tongue over his hole, licking over and over.

Sherlock was lost in John’s groping, his hands on each side of the bed, fisted to the sheets, letting the need build up, wanting John more and more with every touch and lick. “John, please” Sherlock begged. John moved to the side to get the bottle of lube and squirted some in his fingers. He pushed one finger into Sherlock’s and started moving it slowly, teasingly

Sherlock’s eyes widened at the sensation, he usually enjoyed John’s fingers, but this felt even more exciting, the lube increasing the sensation, this lube was different than any other they had used before. “Another please” Sherlock begged again. John complied, pushing another finger, stretching Sherlock more. At this point Sherlock was clay in John’s hands, the music the perfect background for Sherlock’s sounds.   

“John” Sherlock breathed “Now” John moved his fingers away, squirting more lube in them, he stroked his own cock; he kneeled between Sherlock’s legs and pushed himself in. The sensations increased by the lube, both enjoying the new found feeling. John had to stop for a moment, he felt he was coming and he wanted this to last for a little longer. Damn lube! But it felt wonderful!

John started moving again, slowly at first, his hands on Sherlock’s hips; he moved Sherlock’s leg to his shoulder and found the right spot, Sherlock’s body twisted at the feeling, indicating John that he was perfectly placed. Sherlock moved his hand down to his cock but John swat his hand away “No” he huffed “I want you to come just with me inside of you” he said moving down to kiss Sherlock’s neck. Sherlock nodded, and moved his hands over John’s back, holding him close.

Another song faded out, John was feeling close and wanted Sherlock to come first, he knew how much Sherlock enjoyed his voice in his ear and he began to sing into his ear “come away with in the night, come away with me, and I will write you a song” Sherlock lost it, he nipped at John’s ear and began to whisper “Harder John, right there, faster, more, more, John, John, John” His shouts muffled by John's mouth.

Sherlock came with the last few notes of Norah’s voice, and it took John another thrust to come fully inside Sherlock, collapsing on top of him, shouting his name and holding him close. The last song started and they both looked at each other, the meaning of the song summing up their feelings for each other.

“You’ve chosen me, and now that I, I’ve… I’ve chosen you, Oh my love, let it happen, changing my life to a love song” John sang, breathlessly in Sherlock’s ear, suddenly, Sherlock’s voice was repeating the same phrase in John’s ear, both reaffirming and confessing their love for each other.

After a few minutes, they recovered their breaths, but Sherlock didn’t want John to move, he shifted a little to pick up his shirt and clean himself up, but John didn’t let him, instead he moved and manoeuvred Sherlock’s legs so he was on his side, his back against John’s chest; and helped him clean up. John held Sherlock close and stayed inside him for the rest of the night.


	33. An unexpected request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was getting used to have his house full with visitors almost every day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back!!!

The next morning, Sherlock woke up feeling John’s arousal inside of him, he moved slowly up and down, taking advantage of it, soon, Sherlock was pinned against the mattress and John was fucking him thoroughly, in a fast and needy way, it took less than ten minutes for both of them to be over the edge, John coming inside of Sherlock, and having him come in his hand. He muffled Sherlock’s sounds with his pillow, as he bit Sherlock’s shoulder to stifle his own scream.

John collapsed on top of Sherlock, breathless and sweaty “Are you okay?” He asked, afraid that he might have hurt him “I’m perfect” Sherlock answered trying to catch his breath “I loved it, I like it rough too”

John moved out of Sherlock and went to the shower, his house being smaller it was better not to give a full show. After John was out Sherlock went in a washed himself hurriedly, they were going to be late for school. They ran down the stairs, barely saying goodbye to John’s parents.

John gave Sherlock the keys to the bike and they made it in time for Mycroft’s class, just in time. Mary was there, in her wheelchair, everyone looking at her with concerned eyes. The Holmes had elaborated a story so there wouldn’t be many questions at school; they have managed to “convince” everyone that Mary had fallen from a horse at the Holmes’ estate during Christmas vacation, that was explanation enough to the fact that she arrived to School with her science teacher, though it wasn’t clear enough as to why Professor Lestrade was in the same car with Professor Holmes.

That afternoon after school, all the youngsters went to Sherlock’s home. He was getting used to have his house full with visitors almost every day. It was best to stick together, everyone but Mary were aware of Magnussen’s being bailed. They had planned to spend time together every afternoon, never being alone, always walking together to school. Mike was in charge of Molly, and since John was always with Sherlock, between the four of them will take care of Mary.

That night, Mycroft came home and called Sherlock and John to the study, concern written in his face, not looking at Sherlock

“What’s wrong Mycroft” Sherlock asked concerned

“It’s Moriarty” Mycroft spat

“What about him?”  Sherlock shivered

“He’s asked to talk to you” Mycroft looked away

“About?” Sherlock tried to keep his composure, but he felt overwhelmed, repulsed even.

“About Charles, he said he’ll help, but only if you ask for him to” Mycroft was disgusted too

John watched the scene silently, but the moment he heard that the little assassin wanted to talk to his Sherlock, he felt rage welling up in his body

“No” He spat, shaking his head “Never”. John was red; his hands fisted to his sides, his breathing heavy and short “Sherlock… Don’t” He wasn’t able to speak with complete sentences

“Then go with him” Mycroft said nonchalantly

This time, Sherlock was the one enraged “I’ll never put John through that” he said, anger in every word.

“I won’t let you go…” John grabbed Sherlock’s hand “Not alone”

“I don’t want you to meet him, John. I don’t…” Sherlock squeezed John’s hand.

“Together” John whispered “We’ll do it, together” He looked up at Mycroft

“Fine, I’ll make the arrangements” Mycroft nodded “John, a word please”

“Yes, sure. I’ll be right out love”

Sherlock left the office and went to the living room, he felt anger and desperation, he didn’t want John to meet Moriarty, he could be in danger, but at the same time, if he had any information about Magnussen he might be of help. He had to pull himself together; their friends were waiting for them.

“John” Mycroft cleared his throat “Remember the nightmare Sherlock had the other day?”

John nodded, the memories still fresh and hurtful

“Well, there might be a chance that Sherlock could have another nightmare tonight, and I need you to learn how to handle it”

“What should I do?”

“If Sherlock has a nightmare, the first thing you should do is ask what is happening, if he tells you that means he has included you in the dream. Once he tells you, try to hold him and wake him up. Should you not succeed, call me immediately, I’m staying tonight”

“Will do, thank you Mycroft”

“No, thank you John. You’ve changed him, and I really appreciate it, I feel as if I’m recovering my little brother. Thank you”

John nodded, that was really out of character for the always cold Professor Holmes, but he looked really worried, he was concerned for his brother, and if John could help, he would do whatever it take to do so. He reunited with his friends at the living room, going straight to Sherlock, to hold him.

“I guess we’re all staying here tonight then?” John asked, faking cheerfulness

“Sure we are” Mike announced “Heck, I’ve wanted to visit the Holmes’ estate ever since I moved to London, I can’t believe I’m here now” He chuckled

“Then you’re all very welcome” A sweet voice said from the door “Dinner is served kids, if you all follow me” Violet announced “Sherlock, John, help Mary please”


	34. Same old nightmare, fresh new body...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No, this can’t be, Please no! Please, breathe! JOHN PLEASE, DON’T LEAVE ME, BREATHE, PLEASE! WHY GOD, WHY? NO!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some angst... Sorry...

After dinner, everyone was led to a room, as usual, Mary and Molly shared one, and Mike was sent to another guest room. Sherlock lead John to “their” bedroom and sank on the bed. He needed to think. John lay next to him, watching him worriedly

“Are you okay love?” John asked looking at Sherlock

“I’m thinking about my meeting with Moriarty” Sherlock answered, closing his eyes

“What about it?”

“I don’t want you to meet him, I want you to come with me, but I don’t want him meeting you”

“Okay, but I’ll be there, waiting for you”

“Thanks for understanding love. I just don’t want him to do anything with you”    

“Don’t worry about me. Remember. Forever and a day” John smiled and hugged Sherlock

Sherlock looked down at his left hand, his ring a permanent reminder of John’s love and commitment.

“Forever and a day” Sherlock sighed, returning the embrace.

They talked for a couple of hours about everything, planning the day of the meeting, and what they should do. At some point, John fell asleep, leaving Sherlock with his own thoughts. It was past midnight when Sherlock finally found some sleep, but it lasted just a few hours.

Much like last time, John woke up to a tearing cry. Sherlock was screaming “NO” over and over again. John did as Mycroft had told him, this time he didn’t move away from Sherlock, and sat on the bed instead of getting away.

“What’s happening Sherlock, what’s going on?” John asked, trying to follow Mycroft’s instructions exactly.

“Oh God, no. This can’t be happening” Sherlock was crying profusely

“What is happening?” John asked again

“No, please, don’t be dead, please!” Sherlock cried “Don’t leave, please, breathe, please, for me, If you die I’ll die, please wake up!”

John felt a pang of jealousy, he never thought Sherlock loved Victor that much. Nevertheless, he moved closer to Sherlock to put a hand on his shoulder, but remembered what Mycroft had said, and just continued to ask. “Who is dead Sherlock? Tell me”

“No, this can’t be, Please no! Please, breathe! JOHN PLEASE, DON’T LEAVE ME, BREATHE, PLEASE! WHY GOD, WHY? NO!”

At that moment John was shocked, Sherlock was dreaming about him being dead, he moved closer to Sherlock and began stroking his back, “It’s okay Sherlock, it’s all a dream, open your eyes love, I’m here”

“John?” Sherlock whimpered

“I’m right here love. Just open your eyes” John hushed “Open your eyes Sherlock, it’s just a dream”

Sherlock’s eyes fluttered open, his hands reaching out for John. John held Sherlock and stroked his head, softly caressing his curls with his fingers. “Are you alright? What were you dreaming love?”

“You…” Sherlock broke down; he was a sobbing mess, unable to speak. He clung to John and moved his hands to his face and body, making sure he was there, that it was actually just a terrible nightmare. John kissed Sherlock in the hands, moving to his cheeks and his eyes, his hands slowly running over his back and shoulders “I’m right here Sherlock”

Sherlock pushed John down to the bed and rested his head on his chest, the soft beating of John’s heart relaxing him immediately. “What was you nightmare about?” John kissed Sherlock on the top of his head

“You died in my arms” Sherlock was shaking slightly “And I tried to revive you, but I was too late, you were poisoned, you were holding a note; and I.O.U note”

John felt his heart plunge into his stomach, he was sure it had to do with Moriarty. Victor died the same way, the note was poisoned and he was the only one that held it, it was tainted with some form of cyanide that’s absorbed through the skin. “Don’t worry love, nothing is going to happen to me, he doesn’t know I exist”

“If something ever happens to you… I don’t know what I’ll do; I rather die than live without you”

“Never say that, ever again” John said moving away from Sherlock and staring at him straight in the eyes. “Never again; listen to me; never again say that, EVER. You’re the best, most wonderful person I’ve ever met; you are fantastic, unique, beautiful, drop dead gorgeous, intelligent, no, brilliant man I had the luck to meet, and on top of that, call my love. So never… don’t you ever dare… ever” He sounded serious and concerned. John could never imagine Sherlock dying, least of all because of him.

“I’m sorry” Sherlock muttered “I just… I love you John; I can’t imagine my life without you. You’re the peace of my mind, the air, the sun; you’re the conductor of light. You are the one and only that keeps me right” He hugged John, trying to get him back to bed and next to him.

“Remember love, forever and a day”

No words were needed after that, Sherlock nuzzled into John’s neck, feeling his pulse, being lulled by the beat of John’s heart. He felt safe, home. After a few minutes, Sherlock was fast asleep on top of John, his hands on John’s chest. John just held him, carding his fingers through Sherlock’s curls, until he too, fell asleep. 


	35. No deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clever Sherlock, just the way we love him!

That weekend, Sherlock was getting ready to visit Moriarty. He felt nervous, sick, he was mortified; he just wished he could get rid of him once and for all.

John was anxious, but at the same time, a blind rage was building up in his stomach, he wanted this to be over, so they could go back to being happy, to living happy. Who the hell this Moriarty boy thought he was to make his Sherlock suffer this much?

Mycroft was worried too. He knew how much Sherlock suffered because of this boy, and he wanted to get this meeting over with, he had managed to keep him locked for the rest of his life, but he couldn’t prevent this meeting, or any other meeting he might want with Sherlock, he still needed to find the bodies of several young men that were killed by the little psychopath.

Sherlock had all the cold cases. Greg had given him copies of each and every one of them, and Sherlock had managed to solve four out of twenty since he was given the documents almost four months ago. He was close to solve another one, but the whole thing with Mary, school and everything else had distracted him from solving the murders. One case was Victor’s, the other one Carl’s, he had solved those almost three years ago, and the other two, the day he met his John, after their first meeting Sherlock could see everything clear.

He decided to share the files with John; he might be able to help. John was surprised by the request, but was eager to help his Sherlock, to see that brilliant brain put to work. He had some ideas already and wanted to run them by Sherlock, in hopes that he would be of some help to his soon to be detective. He had noticed that all boys were poisoned, the ones that received a note with Potassium Cyanide, and the others with Botulism (BTX), they were all between thirteen and seventeen, all gay, and they all attended the same school at some point.

Once in the car, John started distracting Sherlock, talking about the cases, and the ideas he had. Sherlock was listening to John, his voice was soothing and at the same time, it helped him think, he was grateful to have the amazing John Watson by his side. Every deduction made by John was obvious, but Sherlock was using the information to help him pass the obvious and contemplate the indiscernible.

_Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth._

‘Yes, the poison was in the notes, but how did he impregnated them with it? How the cyanide does get into the body? Why hiding the bodies? Is there a note when something goes missing? If he had killed them with the notes what use was to hiding the bodies? He’s clever, but not that clever, he made a mistake, he killed Powers and got away with it, he never left a note, but he had kept Power’s shoes, he had sent Victor a note, but didn’t keep anything that could have belonged to Victor. Oh Victor… Victor got cut with something sharp that was hidden inside the envelope and then grabbed the note, is that how the poison got into his blood stream? It has to be! The next morning I woke up because Victor had peed himself, he probably struggled to breath and he tried to wake me up, that’s why he was holding on to me! I was so distracted that I didn’t notice it before! How painful must it have been? Potassium Cyanide is as deathly as can be, and since its powder he must have dissolved a grand amount of it on some sterile solution, and damped the paper with it. There was nothing left to do, it was in his blood stream and his mouth, he had licked the injury; he probably was death in less than an hour. Asphyxia and cardiac arrest, just like Power’s with the BTX’

Sherlock was so immersed in his mind palace that he had almost stopped listening to John, but at some point he had said something, and something really important. His love was so clever! ‘Where does Magnussen fit on his plan? How does he even know about Magnussen?’ John’s voice acted like a catalyst; and then, it all was clear. All the boys were connected somehow, Sherlock was sure they will be able to find them at some common location to all! And Magnussen? A mere distraction from a major plan? They surely met at the correctional, and he just wanted to find things about John, distract him from the real goal; endanger them all.

“Thank you John!” He beamed, holding John close and kissing him like mad

“What for?” John was confused

“Mycroft, we don’t need Jim, I think I’ve solved it!” Sherlock was ecstatic

Mycroft lifted an eyebrow “Care to explain?”

Sherlock rolled his eyes “I need for Gavin to send me a list of all the places this boys where seen last. I’m sure we are talking about couples here, they were couples, new couples, and somehow they are all related to Powers, Victor or I”

Mycroft’s eyes widened, he didn’t even bother correcting him about his fiancé’s name. His little brother might have solved the cases, sadly, in order to find Magnussen; he had to visit Moriarty “Sherlock?" He said he knows were Magnussen is, and who bailed him”

“I’m sure he does, but I’m also sure he’s the one that helped Magnussen. He already knows about John, and since he’s not allowed to move a finger inside that cell without you knowing it, I’m certain that all he wants is to have us biting our own tails while he puts up some plan to be freed. Control his communications, check his entire visitor’s log, he has someone both outside and inside. We have to be more careful from now on. Don’t you get it? He knows about Magnussen. If you want to find him go to Moriarty’s place, he’s there waiting for “orders”, if I go there, he’ll have to leave his cell, and pass whatever message he wants, so no, we’re not going” Sherlock said firmly “Now to the yard, Graham has to help me”

“Greg, Sherlock, its Greg!” John scowled

“Right, Greg, sorry Myc” Sherlock looked down. His brother was left in awe at his little brother’s attitude.

Twenty minutes later, they were pulling over at the yard; Sherlock sprinted to Greg’s office and told him everything. How it all had happened, why they were targeted, and that he should go and look for Magnussen back at Moriarty’s old house, that there he will be able to find every missing item from the boys that hadn’t received a note, and that the bodies where surely buried together at the last place the boys where seen, their own houses' backyards, hidden in walls, parks, and that he should look for Moriarty’s mark, a carved, painted or drawn I.O.U.

John was amazed; he had solved the murders, found the locations, and practically buried Moriarty in jail for life in less than an hour. And now, all that remained was to find Magnussen and lock him away too. He was so aroused, that he couldn’t wait to get home and have his way with Sherlock.


	36. Mystrade and some ill-deserved (?) fame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Mycroft came home, he was received by a wonderful aroma, some lit candles and a bottle of wine. His mind went crazy as he thought he had forgotten an anniversary of some sort. ‘First kiss? No, that can be it, maybe first time? No, that was after the first kiss. Proposal? That cannot be either. What am I missing? Am I missing something?’ He was taken out of his daze by a kiss and a slap on his arse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I laughed so much writing this. Hope you enjoy it, especially Mycroft’s kinky side)
> 
> BTW: I'm suffering of writters rampage, so expect a few more chapters today. LYA!

Greg called everyone, from his partner to his boss to let them know the last developments. He ushered John and Sherlock out the Yard, promising he will let Sherlock know whatever happens and whenever it happens. He was in shock, it had been almost 8 years since Sherlock had solved his first crime, and now, he was solving one of the hardest cases the yard had.

After all was sorted, Greg was promoted to Detective Inspector. He felt bad; he hadn’t solved anything, but being an inspector could give him some liberties, like hiring Sherlock and having him solve the crimes, and not having to answer absurd questions as to why Sherlock was visiting crime scenes. After his shift ended, he went home wanting to share this news with Mycroft, he was excited, but at the same time he felt it was ill-deserved, he had done nothing, but trust a young man with a brilliant mind.    

Mycroft wasn’t home, being “secret agents” at Sherlock’s school was taking a toll, they both were busier than ever, and any spare time usually was spent sleeping, or working in their real jobs. It had been more than a week since they were together and with all the wedding planning; his future mother in law had him going crazy with food and cake tastings, clothes fittings and what not.

He decided to make dinner; it will be a well-received gesture, since Mycroft wasn’t much of a cook, Greg was the one that fed his own mad man. When Mycroft came home, he was received by a wonderful aroma, some lit candles and a bottle of wine. His mind went crazy as he thought he had forgotten an anniversary of some sort. ‘First kiss? No, that can't be it, maybe first time? No, that was after the first kiss. Proposal? That cannot be either. What am I missing? Am I missing something?’ He was taken out of his daze by a kiss and a slap on his arse.

“Great, you’re finally home. I’m starving!” A very flirtatious Greg stated; the words filled with innuendo. 

“To what do I owe such a nice welcome?” Mycroft asked, still in awe

“To your bloody brilliant little brother and his brain!”

Greg moved closer and kissed Mycroft passionately. Mycroft responded anxiously, he had missed Greg, a lot! It’s had been at least a week, and the last time, they were interrupted by his mother. Sherlock had sassed him about it, about being “fast” but they were interrupted! And after that, they had barely had time to see each other; between work and school their lives were crazy. Being the government wasn’t easy.

“And to the fact that you’re wonderful and that I love you” Greg removed Mycroft’s tie, and his expert fingers were rapidly unbuttoning his vest and shirt. Mycroft let him; it was nice being pampered by Greg. “What are we celebrating?” Mycroft pointed to the dining table.

“Oh, right” Greg looked to where Mycroft was pointing “I wanted to celebrate that I was made D.I. and that now I can hire Sherlock” He kissed Mycroft in the neck “But that can wait. I want my dessert first”

Greg pushed Mycroft to the sofa, and began divesting him, his hands moving all over his future husband’s body. He kissed Mycroft’s neck knowingly, getting soft moans and groans for every kiss. The always cold looking man was clay in his lover’s hands. “Be right back, don’t move” His voice was husky and needy. Mycroft nodded and relaxed into the sofa, his hands behind his head and some sleep in his eyes.

Mycroft was almost asleep when he got startled by a very naked Greg, he had returned to the living room, holding a bottle of lube in one hand and thunder beads in the other. Mycroft was stark naked in a blink of an eye, his clothes flying everywhere. Mycroft’s kinky side was in full mode, sleep being the last thing on his mind.     

Greg moved over to the sofa and straddled Mycroft, no need for romance now, just kinkiness and hard on sex. He squirted some lube in his fingers and started working Mycroft’s hole, he massaged his entrance until he felt the rim loosen under his touch, and instead of using his fingers, he put some lube on the beads and introduced them, slowly looking for Mycroft’s prostate, he knew he had hit it because Mycroft arched his back, and pre cum was all over his belly. He sat Mycroft on the couch so the beads won’t move and could hit Mycroft’s prostate every time.

He started working himself using some lube, he massaged his own hole while working Mycroft’s cook with the other hand, once he felt ready, he squirted some more lube on Mycroft’s and climbed on top of him, moving slowly at first, enjoying the ride. Mycroft moved one hand over Greg’s erection and began moving it rhythmically, encompassed with Greg’s hips, the other one holding his lover in place.

The beads were working perfectly, every time Greg went down, the beads would hit his prostate and send shivers through his body. He felt his orgasm coming and began moving his hips harder into Greg, their breaths short and fast, their bodies sweaty and hot, minds concentrated in one thing, and one thing only, each other.

“Greg… I… God!” Mycroft, the always well-spoken brit man was out of breath and out of words under his lover. He felt his orgasm coming fast, nothing in the world could stop it. Greg was on top of him, moving his hips like crazy, soon, Mycroft’s hand and belly were covered by Greg’s come, and he was filling Greg up with his own.

Greg’s head fell on Mycroft’s shoulder, holding him close, kissing him sloppily, Mycroft held Greg on the spot, both catching their breaths. “I’m glad we still have it” Greg said jokingly kissing Mycroft’s shoulder before moving off. “Of course we still have it, love” Mycroft said, grabbing Greg’s arse and helping him off “We’re young, and I want you every day in the same way I wanted you the first day” He smiled and kissed Greg before taking his hand and going to the bathroom.

After a very nice and relaxing bath, they shared a meal and went to bed happy. Greg feeling in love with his soon to be husband, Mycroft feeling grateful to have such a wonderful and understanding man sleeping right by his side, He couldn’t believe that in less than a month they’ll be married, and that Greg was going to be forever by his side.


	37. Get Magnussen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sherlock!” John scowled  
> “What? Not good?”  
> “A bit not good. Yeah”  
> “Sorry. Too soon?”  
> “Yup love, a bit too soon”  
> “Oh”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some angst, as I said... been on a writting rampage

After they were finished with their first case(s) together, John and Sherlock went back to Sherlock’s place. A very anxious Mary was waiting for them, she had received a note from Magnussen, saying than he will be visiting her soon, that he was out and that they could finally be together forever. Her mother had called her telling her the news.

“At what time did the note arrive?” Sherlock asked, detective mode on

“I have no idea, my mum knows” Mary cried, worry in her voice

“Where is the note?” John asked

“Home. My mom has it”

“We’ll check it out Mary, don’t worry. Let’s go John”

When they arrived to Mary’s house, her mother was already waiting for them, along with Greg.

“Great, you’re here, I was about to ring you” He said looking at Sherlock

“We just got home and Mary told us about the note. Have you checked it for poison?”

“Not yet, but it does looks different from the ones Moriarty used to send”

“We can’t take any chances” Sherlock looked at Greg with concerned eyes

“I know kiddo. I’m doing my best. Thankfully Mary wasn’t here, and we already have people posted at Moriarty’s place. After you left the yard I received Mrs. Morstan call, I came right away, left the partner check the info you left us”

“Let us know what happens, please” John required

“Sure lad, now go, is best if you go now. I’ll ring you whatever”

“Right, thanks” John took Sherlock’s hand and lead him to the kitchen to keep Mrs. Morstan company.

“How was the note, what did it say?” Sherlock began

“Sherlock!” John scowled

“What? Not good?”

“A bit not good. Yeah”

“Sorry. Too soon?”

“Yup love, a bit too soon”

“Oh”

“I don’t mind” Mrs. Morstan said “Just want to put that bastard back in prison. And if Sherlock can help he can ask away. Besides, I already know almost all about him, remember, I’ve met his parents” she giggled

“Oh. Right” John looked down, feeling guilty for scolding Sherlock

“Go ahead sweetie, ask away” Mrs. Morstan exhorted

“Right” Sherlock cleared his throat. If it wasn’t for John he might have made Mrs. Morstan feel uncomfortable. He noticed John was too quiet, and his worry levels went to the roof. He never meant to make John feel bad. He took John's hand and moved it to his lips almost unconsciously. He leaned forward and whispered in John’s ear “Thank you John. As always, you keep me right”. At this, John smiled and relaxed, squeezing Sherlock’s hand,

“So” Sherlock started again, waking from his “John-induced-daze” state. “The note. Do you remember the colour?”

“It was and off white piece of paper, about this size” Mrs. Morstan said, showing with her hands a 4 by 4 centimetres square shape.

Sherlock sighed in relief, the note that the other victims had received where pink and 6 by 6.

“And what did the note say?”

“It was really weird; it said “Love. I’m out. I bailed. Be with you soon. Love, Charles” and on the back it had three letters “I.O.U” nothing more”

Sherlock flinched. A shiver went down his spine. “Was it inside an envelope?”

“No, it was slipped under the door”

“Have you licked your fingers?”

“What? No. Why?” Mrs. Morstan blushed

“Wash your hands now!” Sherlock turned paler “LESTRADE!” He shouted

A frantic Greg ran through the kitchen door “What? Thought you were being killed. Scared the shit out of me!”

“Who else touched the note?” Sherlock asked, a hint of desperation in his otherwise calm voice

“I put it in a bag” Mrs. Morstan said softly “Was that bad?”

“No, it was perfect” Sherlock said holding the now crumbling woman. “Want to come home with us?” Sherlock asked. “Mary would like the company”

“Sure. I’d love that”

As they were leaving; Greg called Sherlock apart. They had Magnussen surrounded; they were just waiting for him to make his next move. “We can get him for stalking and violating the restriction order Mary has against him, fortunately, the restriction includes the house”

“Good” Sherlock nodded “Thanks… Greg. I’ll be waiting for some news”

“Sure Sherlock. Thank you, you know, for everything”

Sherlock shook his head and left.

Greg was left to his own thoughts; Sherlock was a changed man, nothing to do with the spoiled little ten years old brat that had made his early college years almost impossible to live.   

That afternoon, Magnussen was arrested; sadly, it wouldn’t be the last they’ll hear of them.


	38. You are cordially invited to the wedding of…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rèpondez, s’il vous plaît

I don't know how to upload the frigging images, so here... Check them out!

<http://fav.me/d9m4e10>

 

 


	39. A wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Greg was astounded. He was getting married at THE Hampton Court Palace! How on earth had Violet managed to get the whole place at the most busy of days? She was a Holmes alright, but Greg was still getting used to it. Who could have ever imagined him getting married at such a palace; and to a Holmes nonetheless?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just Mystrade's wedding... enjoy! BTW... for the sake of the story I based this in the idea that you can't deny anythig to a Holmes... But more that a marriage was a celebration of their civil partnership...
> 
> Remember, the music makes the chapter. Here is Mycroft’s wedding music. Hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> Chopin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmzFDEu2RoA  
> Liszt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpOtuoHL45Y

Mary recovered nicely, and she was back to her house by the end of the month. She missed her parents so much that she decided to leave the Holmes’ estate a week before she was discharged by her doctor. She felt better and was in full shape by Valentine’s Day, and ready for their teachers’ wedding.

Mike and Molly on the other hand, had found out all about their professors and that they were getting married after they were included, somehow, in the whole wedding shebang. They had kept it a secret, but, unfortunately for Mycroft, the wedding news became _vox populi_ and the whole thing with “Anthea” fell apart. Fortunately, she was his best agent and had something prepared just in case, so they kept their façade on by “being best friends”, claiming that Anthea was a “screen” prepared to avoid “strange situations” due to the fact that “children are very impressionable”

John and Greg had developed their friendship to the extent that Greg asked him to be his best man and the witness for the ceremony. Mycroft, on a whim, had chosen his brother. A very surprised Sherlock agreed, but then he thought that it might be a better idea to ask their father, soon when the time came, they’ll both had the same witness. Mycroft agreed; it was the first time in many years that Sherlock was being nice and agreeable; John sure was a miracle worker.

Greg was astounded. He was getting married at THE Hampton Court Palace! How on earth had Violet managed to get the whole place at the most busy of days? She was a Holmes alright, but Greg was still getting used to it. Who could have ever imagined him getting married at such a palace; and to a Holmes nonetheless?

The ceremony was to be held at the Garden House, and the dinner at the Great Hall. Both the Garden House and the Great Hall were decorated with Mycroft’s favourite colour, grey. But not a washed, old fashioned grey, it had Violet Holmes’ touch. Back at the Garden House, the hundred chairs or so that were aligned at both sides of a made up aisle were dressed with pearly grey slipcovers, decorated with iridescent turquoise, greyish organza ties. A bunch of floral arrangements decorated the aisle and the small “altar”, they were made with white roses and some forget-me-nots scattered amongst the otherwise white arrangements. The aisle itself had a silvery grey carpet runner, nothing to flashy, but fit to a Holmes’ wedding.

Back in the Great Hall, the decoration was more sober, the 10 or so tables and the main table were decorated with white tablecloths; and only after seeing them closely you could detect some silvery lines crossing the material. The plates were white with a silver rim, the cutlery was silver and the centrepieces where made with exactly ten white roses surrounding a single gardenia, all wrapped with some silver organza. The glasses were the only transparent thing on the table, but it helped to give it a more stylish look. The chairs were dressed in white slipcovers tied up with the same organza as the flowers.

Violet had hired live music, a piano soloist accompanied by a string quartet, for the ceremony, the dinner and the first dance, for the party, much to Mycroft’s discomfort, Violet had hired a DJ so people could dance; only the first dance had live music, one of Mycroft’s favourite; Chopin’s “Spring Waltz”. And to walk down the aisle Franz Liszt “ _Liebestraum_ ” 

Before the ceremony, Mycroft was getting ready at one of the rooms near the Great Hall, and Greg was getting ready at one of the rooms near the Garden House. Mycroft was wearing a Buckleigh’s tailored charcoal grey cotton/silk tailcoat with matching trousers; a white shirt with a pointy collar, and a striped tie, with matching pocket silk. The waistcoat was made of a greyish-turquoise organza, giving a hint of colour to the outfit, completed with smoked silver cufflinks with M’s on it, and a greyish turquoise organza boutonniere. Greg was wearing a Huntsman’s tailored black cotton/silk tailcoat stylised the same way as Mycroft’s, matching waistcoats, ties and pocket silks; smoked silver cufflinks with G’s on it and the same boutonniere.

The ceremony began promptly at 6:30 pm. Both grooms walked down the aisle accompanied by their parents. John followed the wedding party with Sherlock. They both wearing black suits, oxford style, with greyish turquoise ascots, pocket silks and boutonnieres and silver vests. During the ceremony, John couldn’t keep his eyes off of Sherlock, imagining their own wedding. Sherlock kept his eyes on John, knowing exactly what he was thinking, and wishing that this was their wedding day.

After the grooms exchanged their vows and promises, they all went to the Great Hall. A champagne toast was given by both best men. Both John and Siger congratulated Mycroft for marrying Greg; with words such as “luckiest”, “fortunate” and “blessed” the most repeated, always referring to the fortune that Greg was to Mycroft. Mycroft just rolled his eyes, of course he knew he was lucky and fortunate, he needn’t be repeated that constantly. Or did he?

After dinner was over, it was time for cake, a three tiered vanilla and toffee cake was served, they shared the traditional “feed each other cake” moment, and Mycroft, instead of giving Greg a piece of cake, ate it himself, everyone, especially Greg, knew he was nuts for deserts, vanilla and toffee being his favourite flavours. The party went on; they shared their first dance as a married couple, and after a while, they both disappeared, along with the wedding car.

Their honeymoon, or sex holiday as Sherlock referred to it, was in Santorini, where they retreated from the world for over two weeks. The party went on until dawn, John and Sherlock danced almost all night, regretting the fact that the limo was missing, and that they didn’t have a chance to “christening” it. That didn’t stop them in any way; they found the next available empty room and shared a rather quick sex session.

John was so aroused by Sherlock’s dancing that as soon as they found themselves running towards a room near the garden; John was already undoing his trousers’ button. He pinned Sherlock against the wall and pushed into him, barely stopping to stretch him out, he was like an animal in rut; all he wanted was to have Sherlock. Sherlock didn’t mind, the feeling, stingy and painful at first, turned into lust and need soon enough to have him forget about anything else.

John held Sherlock’s hip with one hand and his hardened cock with the other, thrusting hard and moving his hand harder. Less than ten minutes later, they both were coming, howling each other’s names.

“Fuck Sherlock, I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me, we were dancing, and you are so damn sexy. I’m sorry” John said once he could breathe.

“No John. It.was.great. You sure shagged me senseless” Sherlock breathed, cleaning himself with his ascot and redoing his trousers’ button.

“Sure you’re okay?” John was still concerned

“Yup, never been better, though I think I might be unable to sit for a little while” Sherlock joked.

John looked down, he had to find a way to control himself, or else he might hurt Sherlock, but the boy sure was like candy and he couldn’t stop eating him, and sometimes, eating him raw.

“Boys where are you?” Violet called “We’re leaving now! It’s late!” Her voice was closer every time. John hugged Sherlock and began to kiss him softly, his hands on his waist; Sherlock was confused but followed John, his hands on John’s neck. The kiss was sweet, almost chaste. When Violet found them they were holding each other, sharing an “innocent” kiss

“Here you are, finally, been looking for you. John. Are you coming with us? Violet asked.

“I’d love to. If you don’t mind” John smiled

“I’ll never mind, I rather like having a full house. I must say I miss Mary” Violet sighed. “And to think that in just a few months you’ll be leaving too…” she cleaned a stray tear and looked away from them. “Let’s go boys, its late” She finally said, leaving the small room.

John and Sherlock followed closely, sharing a wicked smile, but a hint of sadness settled in their hearts. 


	40. Future plans?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mycroft noticed the effect that this particular decision had on Sherlock, he was worried about times to come and tried to help his brother by leaving late from school and giving the boys time to be together, at least at school grounds. Extra schoolwork for John; extra schoolwork for Sherlock. The “parents network” had eyes everywhere, so this was the only way Mycroft had to try and help his little brother. John was the only one that managed to have Sherlock eat; sleep, live.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Mycroft being a good brother. No matter how cold he is, he just loves Sherlock deeply!  
> Warning: This chapter is about drug use and drug abuse. If you're sensitive to this please DON'T READ!!

Before they knew it, spring had arrived, the flowers were in full bloom, and April had begun without giving them a brake. Sherlock was busy with theatre club and riding practices, he also got his driver’s licence; fully realising he needed a car to go to the yard; now that Greg was a D.I. the cases were building up.

John had school, rugby, and was busy helping his parents to look for a new place back in Brighton, he was keeping the place at Whitechapel and was looking for a flatmate, he wanted to share it with Sherlock, but Violet was adamant about it, not until he’s eighteen! Though, he could visit every weekend, giving John time for his classes and shifts. Sadly, John had promised that every two weekends he’ll go and visit his parents, giving him less time to spend with Sherlock

Sherlock, of course, performed one of his best tantrums ever, which got him locked up for a month, having to go to, and come from school with Mycroft, no riding practices for a month, just the ones programmed and no extras, no cases for a month, and no alone time with John! He sulked the whole month, nothing could be worse; his mind was going crazy with boredom and loneliness. John got penalised too, it ricocheted; he was able to visit but not stay at Sherlock’s for the whole month. In the end, Sherlock had convinced himself that it was for the best, they both needed to learn to be away from one another for long periods of time.

Since John had received an army scholarship, he was supposed to report to Sandhurst back in Surrey by the 10th of September and then to St Bartholomew’s Medical College for the next five years, three of which he’ll have to serve as an army doctor; be sent on tours and be trained in Defence Medical Services. Sadly, St. Bart’s College was almost two hours away from Oxford, where Sherlock was attending, he was majoring in Chemistry and by all means, Oxford was the best. They’ll have to work on a schedule, and see if he could go with John to Brighton twice a month.

The whole month was spent making future plans, John will be back from his tour, and Sherlock will be waiting for him, then they’ll move together, get married, and maybe have kids. John would have a private practice, and Sherlock would solve cases for the yard, and when the time came, they’ll retire to Sussex.

Being away from each other proved to be more difficult than trying to fully breathe underwater, the lost kisses and hugs, the empty beds and skinless nights were taking its toll. Sherlock had stopped eating and sleeping, having nightmares almost every night. John’s sleepless nights where filled with bad dreams and endless threads of texts with Sherlock. 

Mycroft noticed the effect that this particular decision had on Sherlock, he was worried about times to come and tried to help his brother by leaving late from school and giving the boys time to be together, at least at school grounds. Extra schoolwork for John; extra schoolwork for Sherlock. The “parents' network” had eyes everywhere, so this was the only way Mycroft had to try and help his little brother. John was the only one that managed to have Sherlock eat; sleep, live.    

Mycroft had talked to his parents; it seemed the best to do at the moment, even if it meant having Sherlock hating him again. He had managed to convince their parents to let John and Sherlock be together as much as possible. Mycroft had managed to find a nice little flat in Oxford for his brother that he could share with John every time they seem fit. It was over at Hawkins St., really close to school, this way Sherlock wouldn’t have to share his abode with anyone else, unless he wanted to.

After the month passed, and April settled enough to become May, spring was fully bloomed and waiting to become summer. There was so little time before they had to be apart again! All their future plans seemed so far away, five years were nothing less than a life time.  

Nevertheless, John had managed to make a schedule for him and Sherlock. He had planned almost every second they had left until they had to go to school again by September, so everything they’ll do, they’ll do together. Sadly, Sherlock had locked himself up in his mind palace and spent more time thinking than anything else, he was classifying every flavour, every taste, every kiss, every hug, every sensation, every touch, to use them later on, when needed, he also got his hands on some cocaine, just to pass the hard times.

No one seemed to notice he was using again, he was as clever as usual, though to everyone’s eyes he seemed calmer, somehow, he was clever enough not to inject his solution in any visible veins, and since he wasn’t exactly having sex, John wouldn’t notice, and if by any chance he did, he will always have the perfect excuse, a scratch from riding, or a fight scene in the latest theatre club meeting. 

Sherlock decided not to think about the future anymore, it hurt more than he could ever imagine, a second without John seemed a lifetime; a lifetime with him was nothing more than just a second. After the month passed, he ceased to use his “relief”, he had managed to keep the use to a couple of times a week, besides, he had no time to shoot up, since John was on top of him (no pun intended) all the time. Dinner dates, sleepovers, outings and what not, fortunately the need for cocaine was slightly supressed by John and his eagerness to make up for the lost time. But this time it wasn’t enough to keep him out of his mind, the impending fact that they were going to be apart had numbed a part of him, the part that believed that love could solve all.

_How long time is; yet how short life seems. A second without is a lifetime, yet a lifetime with is but a second (GT)_


	41. Fleeting time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill certainly was quite a character, he could see John being happy living with this guy, and if by any chance, Mike decided he wanted to live there too, they make a great lot. He felt jealous that these guys will have John to themselves, and that he will be left on his own back in Oxford. John sensed Sherlock’s sadness and held his hand. He squeezed it lightly, getting Sherlock back into the conversation. Sherlock looked over at John; he felt his heart swell with love. He had to make it through, for John.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes Mr. Bill Murray!

May and June went by in a hearth beat, Sherlock was almost clean again. Since April, he had only used once, when he was told by a nosey Mycroft that he was going to live outside campus. Who did his brother think he was to decide how he was going to live, or who with? He went to the greenhouse and found his “relief”. Only two more days and he could be with John again!

By the first week of May, his life was about to become “normal”, his mother had lifted the house arrest, and John was with him almost all the time. He also was feeling calmer; he had made peace with the idea that for the next five years, the time with John was to be spent in drib drabs. He also made peace with Mycroft’s intrusion, as he was assured by his parents that he was getting a car to come and go as needed, and that not his brother, nor his minions will intrude in his college life. That wasn’t true, but he conceded, he knew how Mycroft could be…

June went quickly; the last play was to be presented by the end of the month. As always, he got the leading role and for once, there was no need to go on and kiss silly girls, they’ll always clung to him and suck his lips like leeches. He felt so uncomfortable! Why couldn’t these girls understand that it was just a play, not a lip sucking contest? John will always kiss him hard after every show, as to wipe the taste, the lips, the shadows left by these silly stupid girls.

But this time, oh this time. He already enjoyed acting like a mad man, but this play, oh this play! It was one of his favourite plays of all times, and having the chance to be Hamlet was more than he could ask. Through May and June, he had participated in some riding contests, at his mother request of course. He had won the club’s annual riding competition. He felt happy and proud, and of course, John was there to praise him. By this time of the year, his grades were high enough to make him a junior at Oxford instead of a freshman. He had chosen University College after John’s much insistence for him to go to Uni.

John, on the other hand, had managed to win the Rugby tournament for the school. He had also managed to get his hands on one of the few internships that Bart’s offered to new medical students, and could study and practice at the same time, saving some time and managing to finish his practices sooner than others, of course he knew that the Holmes name was involved somehow, but he was grateful, he was going to be paid to study and that was the best, he felt the need to provide for Sherlock. His internship was to begin the same day he began school, so he could spend the entire summer with Sherlock, maybe at Brighton for a couple of weeks, maybe at the Holmes estate back in Birmingham. But he wanted sun and maybe some beach, so Brighton was the best choice.

By July, John found himself packing once again. His parents decided to leave their old furniture to John and move to Brighton just after John’s graduation. He had also managed to find a flatmate, a future army doctor, Bill Murray. He was supposed to move by the first week of august, right after John’s parents left.

John was feeling slightly uncomfortable by this new living situation, so he called Sherlock to do a “background check” on his soon to be new flatmate. Sherlock went to John’s house for the so called interview and looked up and down at this bloke. He was a big man, taller than Mycroft, much bigger, rugby player, older than John, a year maybe. He was straight, serial dater, but faithful.

He shook Sherlock’s hand firmly and introduced himself. 

“Bill Murray here, nice to finally meet you mate! This one here won’t shut up about you. You sure have him head over heels, don’t you?”

John looked like a freaking cherry, but it was the truth, he could feel love pour out of his heart like water out of a fountain.

“Sherlock Holmes. Nice to meet you too Bill. John told me you’re a fellow army man and a future doctor too”

“So he’s been blabbering ‘bout me too, uh? This one won’t ever shut up”

“Yeah, he’s been… blabbering…” Sherlock said, rolling his eyes.

Bill certainly was quite a character, he could see John being happy living with this guy, and if by any chance, Mike decided he wanted to live there too, they'll make a great lot. He felt jealous that these guys will have John to themselves, and that he will be left on his own back in Oxford. John sensed Sherlock’s sadness and held his hand. He squeezed it lightly, getting Sherlock back into the conversation. Sherlock looked over at John; he felt his heart swell with love. He had to make it through, for John.

“So, how long have you been dating?” Bill asked. He already had an idea, from the dopey eyes that John made whenever he was talking about Sherlock, Bill guessed, wrongly, that they might have been dating for a couple of months, three tops. No one can be that fool in love for a long time.

“Ten months yesterday” Sherlock answered looking as dopey eyed as John did. “We’ll celebrate or one year anniversary September 4th”

“Ten months?” Bill was flabbergasted, he was so wrong! “Holy sh…! ‘grats mates!” They sure were love-struck

“Thank you” John said, kissing Sherlock’s hand “But we are not just “dating”. We’re engaged, and we plan on getting married as soon as Sherlock comes back from Oxford… That will be in about three years, just before I get shipped. Right love?”

“Yup. Though I’m only waiting to turn eighteen, I can’t wait three years” Sherlock answered, anguish in his voice. “It seems like a lifetime” he sighed

“I know love, but I promised…” John tried

“I don’t care, as soon as I’m eighteen I’ll marry you, I don’t care what people has to say about it” He pouted

John knew best than to argue, Sherlock was adamant about this particular subject, so he just nodded. He could only hope that he could get into that gorgeous brain of his that this waiting was a temporary thing.

“You sure have everything planned, haven’t you?” Bill exclaimed.

“Almost everything, except our visiting schedule” Sherlock said, looking again at John.

“We can do that over the break, love” John fiddled with Sherlock’s fingers

“I suppose we can do that” He took John’s hand and kissed every finger. For a moment they totally forgot Bill was there, and were about to kiss when Bill cleared his throat “So” he started “I guess I’ll be seeing you in a month. I’ll bring some of my stuff little by little. Thanks mate. It was great meeting you both” He said walking to the door

“Nice meeting you too” John answered, holding Sherlock close.

“So?” Any thoughts?” John asked after Bill left

“Nice bloke, Trust him, he seems good enough. When is Mike moving?

“Not sure yet, but he says it depends on when his parents decide it’s time for him to leave home”

“Oh, so never” Sherlock smirked

“You sure are mean love” John scowled, but couldn’t hold a giggle. He kissed Sherlock wantonly; he had managed to open a couple shirt buttons and was kissing down Sherlock’s neck when they heard footsteps going straight to the kitchen 


	42. A meet cute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey guys!” Her sweet voice sang from the entrance
> 
> “Kitchen!” John called “Sherlock’s here, we’re… planning”
> 
> “Be right there! By the way; found something, more like someone, at the door. He says he's forgot something” Mary said peeking through the kitchen door. She had learn the hard way to look before entering a room, she had found them in such awkward “positions” too many times, one far too many.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys. Wanted to leave Sherlock alone back in Oxford but my heart wouldn’t let me… He needs someone, and if John has Mike and Bill, well, Sherlock may have Mary and maybe some mischievous Irene and a rather quick meeting with Wilkes, and later on, to keep things interesting a reappearance by our always hated, but loved, only consulting criminal and his minion, Mr. Moran, and some evil Magnussen… muahaha!

Bill was almost out the door when he bumped into a girl. The most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on.

“Sorry” Mary chirped “I wasn’t looking” She said looking up. He was a handsome guy, very strong, broad back. Who was he? What was he doing at John’s? She smiled at him and he smiled back. “Is John here?” she asked in her sweetest voice ever

“Yeah, mate’s with Sherlock in the kitchen. The name is Bill, by the way. Bill Murray” Bill said stretching his hand.

“Oh, hey!” Mary took Bill’s hand “I’m Mary, Mary Morstan. A friend of John’s”

“Nice to meet you girly” Bill smiled

“Nice to meet you too” Mary smiled back. “So… In the kitchen?”

“Uh? Yeah. Sorry” He moved away from the door to let her through “Oi” He called “Remembered I left… uh… something. Mind if I come with?”

“Oh, no, not at all. Come in!” Mary beamed. She felt her cheeks get all flushed up, but she didn’t mind, after all, it had been almost seven months since Charles and everything else, she thought to herself. She looked back and couldn’t help but smile, by this time she was supposed to become a mom, but even if the baby could have been the best, she might never have what she had now, a chance to go to Uni and have a “normal” life

Last night she had received her acceptance letter to Oxford Brookes University and wanted to share the news with her best friends. She was going to study Law, as planned. She had applied to a managed house, but was wait-listed; she had to wait for at least one term. Now she had to look for somewhere to live, but was excited, for one she was leaving London for a while, for the other, she was going to Brookes!

“Hey guys!” Her sweet voice sang from the entrance

“Kitchen!” John called “Sherlock’s here, we’re… planning”

“Be right there! By the way; found something, more like someone, at the door. He says he's forgot something” Mary said peeking through the kitchen door. She had learn the hard way to look before entering a room, she had found them in such awkward “positions”  too many times, one far too many. 

“Found whom?” John asked greeting Mary

“This bloke here” Mary pointed impolitely at Bill

“Ah. Bill! Yeah mate, what did you leave?” John asked a bit confused

“Uh. Right. No. I… uh… was in my back pocket all along… sorry” Bill blushed

“He wants your number” Sherlock said nonchalantly “He’s not shy but since you’re John’s friend, he can’t risk messing things up and losing the rental opportunity, but yeah, he fancies you. And as far as I can tell, you fancy him too”

“Sherlock!” John scowled. Mary and Bill were both shocked and left speechless

“Not good?” Sherlock looked like a lost kid

“Really not good!” John looked at him “Remember, think before you talk?”

“But I’m always thinking John!” Sherlock said, annoyed

“It’s an expression” John rubbed his face

“Oh, okay. Sorry” Sherlock looked down. “Sorry Mar. I…”

“Never mind Lock. I know. It’s okay” She kissed his cheek. “It’s fine”

“So…” Bill began “Your number?”

Mary looked up with a smile and scribbled her number in a napkin handing it to Bill seconds later. “Coffee?” She asked winking at him

“Sure girly” Bill beamed

“Just don’t call me girly, please” Mary asked

“Kay… Sorry… Mary” Bill looked down embarrassed

“Mar, everyone calls me Mar”

“Mar… I like it!” Bill was happy, he had a flat, a flatmate, and now he had a coffee date with a beautiful girl

“Wait for a sec; just have to tell the guys something and then we can go get that coffee”

“Sure. Want me to wait out?”

“Nope here’s fine” Mary held his hand briefly.

“The news Mar?” John asked

“Right, sorry” She looked at John, he looked a bit angry, but he always did when it was about her, or Sherlock, or any of his friends as a matter of fact. “You know I applied to Oxford Brooke right?”

“Yup” was John’s only response

“Well, I got in! I received the acceptance letter yesterday! I also applied for housing but they said I have to wait till next term. I have to get a flat or something, maybe find someone to share with”

“Sherlock?” John looked at his fiancé with amused eyes

“Yes John?” Sherlock looked down

“Did your brother get you the flat already?”

“Yeah, last week, we’re supposed to go see it with my parents next weekend. Remember?”

“Yeah, right. Do you happen to know how many rooms it has?”

“Two, one for me and… oh” Sherlock smiled widely

“Great” John said clapping his hands “May I ask? If you don’t mind of course”

“Ask away love, you know, anything for you”

“Hey Mar?” He said looking at his friend

“Yeah John?” She was confused. They always seemed to have their own communication code.

“You know Sherlock is going to Oxford, right?”

“Yeah, you haven’t shut up about it for the whole year, Watson!” Mary joked

“Jesus” John sighed “Don’t you get it yet?” John asked hoping his friend would get what he was trying to say

“Get what Watson? You’re acting all “Sherlock-ish” (Copy righted!) you know? All mysterious and all of that” She was clearly annoyed

“What I’m trying to say is that Sherlock, you see him? He’s going to Oxford…” He rolled his eyes

“So? I got to Brookes” Mary replied

“So…” John couldn’t believe she was so absentminded. ‘Is this how Sherlock feels when he’s clear as water and others don’t seem to understand him?’ “Sherlock, is going to Oxford, and has a flat there, you know… at Oxford, and it happens to be a two room flat, meaning he has a spare room…” He was acting all smug, almost bitchy

“Oh… OH!” She finally got it! Mary was ecstatic “Great” Is it great? Sure you don’t mind sharing your flat with me?”

“Not at all Mar. After John, you’re the next best flatmate I could ask for” Sherlock grinned. He had grown to like the girl, she seemed sweet and John loved her, so he was fond of Mary, besides, being with her meant not being alone. He was getting used to have people around all the time. “We’ll just have to tell my brother and all will be fixed”

“Great! You’re great” I love you guys! Thank you! Can’t wait to tell my parents” She was floating; she kissed her friends and left “Let’s go Murray! She said and grabbed his hand. He just followed, barely saying goodbye.


	43. A very John pre birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet had arranged one of the garden rooms for the party and was delighted to see her son having fun, while surrounded by screaming teenagers. It was the first time in Sherlock’s life that he had attended not one, but several birthday parties, and had organized one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little party for John

As one of the most wonderful coincidences in life; John’s birthday this year was on a Sunday too. Sherlock was excited, his wonderful fiancé, the love of his life, was turning eighteen. He deserved all and everything, the whole shebang. He had planned the whole weekend, starting Friday.

After school he took John to a play at the park, and then to eat at an Italian restaurant they had recently discovered. The owner’s name was Angelo. He was having some legal problems and Sherlock promised to help him, Angelo said that if he proved he was innocent, they could eat for free at his restaurant whenever they wanted to.

By Saturday, Sherlock took John to the London Zoo, and then for a boat ride, they spent the whole morning and afternoon site seeing. For the night, Sherlock made a reservation for the two of them at John’s favourite Chinese restaurant, followed by a tour on an open bus that took them all over London at night. Summer was almost in full and the soft night breeze was almost perfect. The last stop before going home was “The Eye”.

Sherlock kept on seeing John’s every reaction. He memorised each and every one of them and saved them in the John room he had in his mind palace. John was amazed, he had “toured” London before, but not as a tourist, money had always been a bit short, but his father’s new job had given them the chance to live comfortably, not with as much luxury as Sherlock lived, but comfortably enough to study in the school he was studying and to have some spare money for his bike and other “commodities”  

But this, the gift of seeing London, truly seeing it, was the best gift he could have asked for, and Sherlock was the one that gifted him with it. He was truly grateful, Sherlock was truly amazing, he was caring, though most people described him as cold and detached, loving, but just with him and those he considered closest to him, particularly Mary, and a wonderful human being, even when at school he was teased and called a “heartless machine”

When they arrived at “The Eye”, a surprise was waiting for John. All his friends, including his recent acquaintance Bill Murray, Mary’s new boyfriend! were there to begin the celebrations, a party that Sherlock had carefully planned. The night was far from over. They all went to Sherlock’s house and partied almost all night. They danced and ate; some beers where allowed to the older kids, meaning John, Mary, Bill and Mike, and some other mates from the rugby team.

Violet had arranged one of the garden rooms for the party and was delighted to see her son having fun, while surrounded by screaming teenagers. It was the first time in Sherlock’s life that he had attended not one, but several birthday parties, and had organized one.

At midnight, Sherlock hugged John and kissed him softly. “Happy birthday my love” He whispered in John’s ear “I’m so grateful that you were born!” John smiled and hugged Sherlock back. By this hour, most of the party guests were either gone; or sleeping in quite bizarre positions and with quite bizarre companions, a tipsy John cornered Sherlock against a wall. He started kissing him fiercely; he was aroused; he wanted Sherlock and wanted him now.

“Shall we go to your room?” He asked between kisses   

Sherlock nodded and started walking away, but instead of going to the house, he headed to the green house. John was confused, he intended to run to Sherlock’s room and devour him, but apparently his fiancé had another plans ‘Maybe I’m too drunk’ He thought, ‘Maybe Sherlock wants me to calm down’. But oh boy was he wrong!

Behind the greenhouse, there was a small room, a sort of solarium, it was made of glass walls and ceiling, but was easily concealed with some white cotton blinds. On the inside, Sherlock had prepared a small surprise. A walk made with lit oil candles, that gave the room a warm and golden look, and several duvets that resembled a fluffy bed where perfectly laid amongst the candles, the smell of flowers in bloom filled the air along with the soft tune of a violin. ‘So here is to where he disappeared about half hour ago?’ John thought.  

A nearby table had some water and champagne and the ceiling fans where turned on, a fresh breeze could be felt, but nothing too strong to turn off the candles or move the duvets from its place.

“Sherlock?” John called his fiancé

Sherlock turned around and looked at him, not with lust, nor desire, but love. His eyes were filled with love for John; he was transfixed, as if he had just witnessed a miracle of some sort. John was taken aback by this look. Yes, Sherlock had looked at him so many times, and in so many different ways, but never with such eyes. Those eyes, now the colour off the deep sea because of the candles, where filled with more than just one emotion, they were filled with every emotion ever shown to his beloved John.

John shivered, all his drunkenness gone; his body all clear from any trace of alcohol. More than exciting, or enticing, or even lustful, this was utterly romantic. He froze on the spot, Sherlock’s eyes had pinned him to the floor and he could barely breathe

“Yes?” Sherlock replied, his voice an octave lower than usual

That voice sent electric shots down John’s spine. He was being seduced in a way he could have never imagined even in his wildest dreams, he was usually the romantic one, but today’s events had proven him wrong, Sherlock was the ultimate romantic, planning a party before his birthday, taking him on a city tour, and now, seducing him this way. Maybe Sherlock had some ulterior motives, but this was perfect, he had never enjoyed his birthday this much.

Sherlock moved forward, much like a cat, a panther, just one step at a time. “John?” He called, with that chocolaty voice of his. John felt like he was being covered in chocolate by that voice, a smooth and velvety feeling travelled from his ears to his toes, and a slight shudder overcame him. He had even forgotten how to talk.

Another step, Sherlock was closer and closer every time. He started opening his shirt’s buttons one at the time, almost one for every step. Before John knew it, Sherlock was bare chested, and maybe two or three steps away from him. John couldn’t move, couldn’t think, he felt almost the same way he did when he first laid eyes on Sherlock, absolutely mesmerized by his beauty, his hands, his eyes, his body, and those maddening curls!

John breathed in but forgot to breathe out. Another step closer and Sherlock’s trousers were on the floor. Another one, there went his boxers. One last step and his hands were on John’s cheeks, lips over lips, eyes opened and locked on each other’s.

John’s knees faltered, they had turned into jelly. Sherlock moved his hand to hold John by the waist and deepened the kiss. Not moving his hands to touch John in any other way, just his mouth making love to John’s mouth, tongues dancing, thrusting softly; licking and savouring the inner walls of each other’s mouth. He was melting, he could not think, or breathe, or move, his hands where loose on his sides, the only thing keeping him up was Sherlock’s arm around his waist and the other one on his face. His mind and body were committed to the kiss; nothing more existed in this moment.


	44. Kiss my mind away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “By the way Sherlock, I wanted to ask, the concert we were hearing last night, who composed it? I’ve never heard it before, and I swear I’ve heard almost every violin concerto you’ve recommended”
> 
> “Oh, that” Sherlock smiled “That was part of my gift to you, I composed it for you, it’s your song”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, smut ahead, and some mild swearing

There was no urgency in the kiss, just love. A love he had felt for the last ten months, all summed up in this one, breath-taking, gentle, slow, even chaste kiss. “John?” Sherlock called again, it was but a whisper, a soft sound, a sigh. But John was made of putty; Sherlock could do as he wished with John, that he wouldn’t even mind, as long as he kept on kissing him like that.

“John?” Sherlock called for the third time; still looking at his fiancé with those deep eyes. 

John shook his head, as if waking up from a wonderful dream “Sherlock” He whispered against his fiancé’s lips “I love you Sherlock”

“I love you too John” Sherlock whispered back

John was able to move again, but the spell wasn’t broken, he was enthralled by those eyes, by the feeling that ran through his entire body, by the sentiment behind them. His hands moved from his sides to Sherlock’s chiselled cheekbones, he pulled him closer and kissed him, softly, sliding his hands to Sherlock’s neck, down his back and to his hips, Sherlock’s skin bristled.

Soon, John’s hands were on his own body, fumbling with his shirt’s buttons, trying to open them desperately. Sherlock cut him off with a soft movement of his hand. He seemed so calm and relaxed, it was incredible. This reminded John of new years’ morning, and how they had made love so sweetly.

Sherlock removed John’s shirt slowly, one kiss for every opened button, his hands travelled back to John’s shoulders and removed the shirt completely. John moved to take his shoes off and it was done so clumsily, that he almost fell to his knees, but there was Sherlock to help him, to hold him, like he always had from the day they’ve met.

Sherlock held John and moved his hands over John’s hips, moving them slowly under the waistband, skilful fingers travelled over to the button, and opened it with a swift movement, almost as if it were his own, the zipper went down and the trousers were followed shortly after by John’s red boxers.

Sherlock hugged John, a calming hug, their hearts beating faster and faster with every touch. He took his hand and moved it to his lips, kissing the knuckles, then pulled John to the made up bed. Sherlock lay on his back, and John followed him “I want you to make love to me” Sherlock whispered “in any way you want”

John smiled, and kissed Sherlock slowly and softly. He moved down, leaving a trail of kisses down Sherlock’s chest, biting his earlobe, then his neck, catching a nipple with his lips and the other one with his fingers. He stopped for a second at Sherlock’s navel and drew it with his tongue. He moved his mouth over Sherlock’s hips, leaving marks on the soft skin.

He trailed with his tongue all the way down to Sherlock’s left knee and kissed it, going up again, just brushing the skin with his lips. He found Sherlock’s cock, his tip wet with pre-come. He licked along the shaft, broad licks, tasting Sherlock in each one. He pulled a pillow and placed it under Sherlock, lifting his hips. His tongue travelled up and down Sherlock’s cock, teasing him almost mercilessly. The violin music mixed with the soft moans that managed to escape Sherlock’s mouth.

He kissed the tip, and swallowed it, bit by bit. When his mouth was full with Sherlock’s erection, he bobbed his head up and down, with slow movements, enjoying every taste of his lover. He felt Sherlock’s pulse rate quicken, and let go of Sherlock’s cock, he didn’t want it to end this soon. He kissed the wet tip and moved farther down, and licked Sherlock’s bollocks; he sucked them and then moved to Sherlock’s entrance.

He licked it slowly, all over the rim, feeling it relax with every pass of his tongue. After a few minutes Sherlock was fully relaxed and open. John moved closer and kneeled between Sherlock’s legs. He kissed him, like he always did, and pushed himself in. Once he was fully inside Sherlock, John stopped for a couple of seconds, trying to lower his heart rate, he could barely breathe, not only from need, but from the amount of love he was feeling in this moment.

Sherlock adjusted himself and started moving his hips. John followed and soon took control, thrusting every time, looking for the right spot. He hit Sherlock’s prostate, when he did, Sherlock arched his back and muttered John’s name. He moved slowly but steady, hitting the same spot with every thrust.

“John, John, John, John, John” was all John could hear after every thrust. Sherlock’s voice was taking him over the edge. He thrusted harder, deeper, faster, lost in the sensations, his mind gone, only his body next to Sherlock’s, inside of him, his cock the only sane thing, because it belonged to Sherlock, and Sherlock was sanity.

Sherlock came with a cry, he had hold for more than an hour, letting John use his body in any way he seemed fit, When he felt John’s cock engorge and beat inside of him, he knew it was time, he let go, feeling waves of pleasure travel all over his body. John was coming with him, almost at the same time, collapsing on top of Sherlock, breathless, his heart running

John kissed Sherlock with lazy kisses. “I love you” He whispered against his lips

“I love you” Sherlock whispered too.

They held each other, shifting a little to get more comfortable. John didn’t move, he knew Sherlock liked to keep him inside and sleep that way. Sherlock leaned against John’s chest, holding him and entwining their fingers. He moved John’s hand to his lips and kissed it; then he placed it under his face. He sighed at the touch and drifted off, followed by John.

The next morning, Sherlock woke up, as usual, feeling John’s morning erection fill him. He moved at the feeling and moved his hips. John’s eyes fluttered open, and kissed Sherlock’s back, he held Sherlock close and began thrusting. This was the best morning ritual they had, always quick, silent, just raw sex, usually before school, but this time, John took his time, and pleased Sherlock for a while, sure, there was need, but John wanted to make love, not have morning sex.

He moved Sherlock to face him, he kissed him slowly, enjoying the kiss as much as possible, as he thrusted deeper, his hands over Sherlock’s hips, keeping him steady. He moved faster finding Sherlock’s prostate again, and thrusting against it, he watched as Sherlock came undone under his thrusts and began to move faster and harder, enjoying every sound that came out of Sherlock’s mouth.

No words were needed, he captured Sherlock’s hands with his own and trapped Sherlock with his body, he kissed Sherlock’s neck and moved faster, he felt Sherlock come under him, his hot come mixed with sweat. Sherlock tightened around him and John was coming fast, inside of Sherlock again. This time, he moved out of his lover, and held him close, their breaths calming down, and their hearts beating slower.

“I reckon we are in dire need of a shower” John grinned

“Yeah, but I don’t want to move yet” Sherlock answered

“Nor do I, this feels amazing, I love waking up with you like this”

“So do I. I rather enjoy waking you up like this”

They both giggled. John looked at the time on his phone, it was almost ten

“What time is it?” Sherlock asked

“Almost ten. Why?

“We need to hurry; we have a long day ahead of us”

“What?” John’s eyes widened

“Nothing to worry love. But for real now, we better hurry” Sherlock kissed John and lifted himself up from the made up bed. He pulled his trousers up, buttoned a couple of buttons of his shirt and picked what he could. John followed his example and helped with the rest of things.

“We forgot about the champagne” John grinned again

“It’s okay, we can have it tonight” Sherlock answered teasingly.

“By the way Sherlock, I wanted to ask, the concert we were hearing last night, who composed it? I’ve never heard it before, and I swear I’ve heard almost every violin concerto you’ve recommended”

“Oh, that” Sherlock smiled “That was part of my gift to you, I composed it for you, it’s your song”

John was amazed; Sherlock had composed a whole concerto for him, a night lasting concerto! This sure was a great gift.

They spent the afternoon at the park, playing rugby, riding horses, and shared a picnic. John enjoyed every second of the day, but what he wanted the most was to spend time alone with Sherlock, just like the day before.

That night, they shared a dinner with their parents, celebrating John’s birthday and having him blow up eighteen candles. Sherlock spent the night at John’s, they wanted to make love, but they were exhausted, the last three days being the best birthday John had ever had.


	45. “Graduation” surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is the one and only high school graduation you’ll ever have, so try and enjoy it” Mycroft snared “I’d expected better from you John” He scolded “Now sit, and be grateful”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more a “how I wished it all went down when I told my parents I was getting married…” (But I’ll never admit they were right and that in the end it was destined to fail…)

Two more weeks passed and graduation was upon them. They were done with finals and all that was left was the graduation ceremony. At the graduation ceremony, all their parents were there, congratulating each other and congratulating them. They were a nice lot, Mary had been dating Bill for about three weeks and they seemed happy, even though they were still discussing visiting days and other stuff, Mike had met a nice girl, a friend of Molly’s and were dating for a week or so, even Molly had managed to find a date for that day, a boy that looked strikingly alike Sherlock.

After the ceremony, their parents had taken them to a restaurant, the Holmes name in action again. A whole room was rented for the whole lot, no interruptions and as much champagne as they wanted. John and Sherlock wanted to run from the lunch, but were interrupted, as always, by Mycroft

“This is the one and only high school graduation you’ll ever have, so try and enjoy it” Mycroft snared “I’d expected better from you John” He scolded “Now sit, and be grateful”

They obeyed, it was best to act as if they wanted to be there, besides, a quickie in the nearest bathroom could be enough for the next hour or so… They were about to run to the bathroom, when Sherlock’s parents began to talk, they stood still because Violet had called John, so he had to turn around and see her. She called him to a made up stage and began a rather weird, yet very sweet speech.

“John is a wonderful man” She began with a teary voice “he has made our life much better since he walked in it. Not only has he won our Sherlock’s heart, but has also managed to captivate us, not only with his kindness and sweetness, but his honesty and the incommensurable love he has to give, not only to Sherlock, but to everyone that’s around him. He always has a kind smile, a comforting touch and a soft word for whoever might be in need. Not only he will be the best doctor ever, but his heart makes him the most wonderful man in the world, we are proud to call him our friend, but we are also proud to call him son”

John was blushing he looked like a beet; he had no idea what had made Violet rant about him this way. He looked up at Sherlock and he was equally astounded. What on earth had happened for her mother, who rarely praised anyone, to praise John this way? Was she dying?

“Please John, come over here son” She called. John went to the centre of the room, his face almost purple with embarrassment. Violet received him with open arms and hugged him as if her life depended on it. Siger was standing next to his wife, and he too, hugged John tightly, he rarely hugged his own sons for Christ sake! What the hell was happening? Seriously, were they dying? Mycroft was looking in awe, not even Greg had been treated that way! He was agape, he knew his parents were fond of John, but never imagined such a demonstration.

At this, both Lia and Hamish went to the centre of the room and hugged their son. Violet handed Lia the microphone and she too, began a weird speech.

“I must say that we are thankful too” She too had a shaky voice “When our John told us that he had met the love of his life, nor Hamish, nor I, I must be honest, took him seriously. Being so young, we were sure he would crash and burn a couple of times before finally settling down. But Sherlock, such an incredible man, has managed to bewitch our son with his kindness, his tenderness and delicacy, he has us head over heels too, we love him, with all his peculiarities, his abilities, and that wonderful brain of his. We are certain that he not only live to keep our son happy, but that he would rather be hurt than hurt or son”

John didn’t know what to do, he looked over at Sherlock; he was standing at the other end of the room, frozen on the spot, looking like a lost puppy, not knowing how to react or what to do.

“We are more than proud” Lia continued “to call him our son. He has made John’s life an infinite source of happiness, and that gives him a special place not only in our hearts, but in our family” She put her hand over Violet’s shoulder and she returned the gesture “From now on, we all are a wonderful family” She whipped a stray tear and held his hand to Siger “Come here son, please” She gestured to Sherlock. He approached the lot, he was as embarrassed as John was, and his usual pale face was now the colour of a healthy cherry.

Lia and Hamish hugged Sherlock and then so did his parents. They both were standing in front of a lot of people, not knowing how to react, and only wanting to flee the most awkward situation ever.

“Now” Siger began “As Lia said, we are a wonderful family, not only because of our sons, but because in John’s parents we have found wonderful friends, amazing people to share with the happiness that is having our beloved sons with us, their relationships” Siger looked at John and Sherlock “Their marriages” He looked at Mycroft and Greg “And the joy of having friends” He looked at the whole room “If it weren’t for them, we may have lost the opportunity to meet such wonderful people like Mr. and Mrs. Morstan and Mr. and Mrs. Lestrade”

“We have to be thankful too for that” Hamish continued “because we never imagined that at such a short distance, we could find such wonderful people. Being in London was really hard for us, we never managed, in the three years we lived here, to have a nice friendship, always preoccupied with work and money, not thinking about friends or enjoying life” His voice faltered “Our son has such wonderful friends, and we never cared about meeting their parents until Sherlock came and truly changed our life for the best”

“And now” Violet spoke “we have new additions to this already wonderful family we are, Mr. and Mrs. Hopper and Mr. and Mrs. Stamford. We are grateful that you have accepted our sons, and that you have received them with such love and open arms” All the parents nodded, apparently they all knew what was happening, both Greg and Mycroft had a knowing look, they shared a wink and Greg held his hand, kissing it softly. Even Mary had an excited look on her face

John looked at Sherlock and held his hand; he entwined their fingers together, feeling the ring on Sherlock’s finger. Whenever he felt uneasy he would play with the ring, and by now, he needed comfort more than anything else, his parents were leaving next week and he felt as if he hadn’t spent enough time with them, this might be the last time they all were together, like the family they claimed to be.

Sherlock squeezed John’s hand, he too wanted some comfort, he was confused at the praising, he had always ran from such demonstrations of affection, he found them unnecessary, though, since John, he had picked the habit of hugging and kissing his mother and having long talks with his father, he even shared a weekly, respectful and almost loving, dinner with Mycroft and Greg, and he called Greg by his first name most of the time, only failing at it, and being conceit and nasty during hard cases. He was sad that he will be away from this new found sentiment for the next three years.

“We were certain” Lia said “that going away and starting all over will be easy, but work and money are not the only things we have to think about, we have a life to think about, and moving again will only tear us apart, and we are too grateful for this new family that we don’t want to go now” She was crying now, profusely

“Thanks to our new family” Hamish took the microphone now “To our sons, all four of them” He winked at Greg and Mycroft “we can stay in London. I have an even better job now, and we can keep on being the family we are now. Though I wouldn't have given it up for all the money in the world” He chocked

“No thanks are needed” Siger was handed the microphone “Your son’s love for our son is thanks enough” “He approached Hamish and shook his hand. Apparently it was over. John was baffled, his parents weren’t moving? Then what the hell was going to happen with Bill? And the house back in Brighton? They supposedly bought it. Was that a lie? His father was out of a job? Had to find a new one? What?

Sherlock’s mind was working fast too; he wasn’t able to understand what was going on. Of course he knew John’s father was looking for a new job, the hours were more than he had bargained for and barely had time to be home, and suddenly, a week before announcing they were moving, he claimed he was on vacation. He had gone with them to Brighton to see new houses!

“But that is not the reason we are here” Violet spoke again “we are here to properly celebrate our sons’ engagement. As many of you know, John asked for our son’s hand in marriage almost seven months ago. I must admit I was uncertain. Sherlock can be a handful sometimes, but John is like a soothing balm, and we happen to have noticed John’s temper, but Sherlock seems to sooth him too” She looked at Hamish and Lia and they were both nodding

“We were as surprised as Siger and Violet when John came to us, to tell us that he wanted to marry Sherlock” Lia smiled “we were certain that it will be over in the next couple of months, knowing our son’s temper, but we sure are glad we were wrong, they’ve been going out for over ten months now, and every day their relationship seems to get stronger, even after all they have endured” She looked at them lovingly “We know that no matter what, they’ll be together, that they'll be there for each other, and that their love is a lasting one”

“That’s why” Violet continued “We have decided to celebrate their engagement as a family, and we have a gift for them. Not only the party, but a present that symbolises the love they share” Violent handed John a velvet box at the same time as Lia handed Sherlock a similar one. Inside each were a silvery necklace, and a white gold band, engraved with each other’s initials on the outside, and the words John hand engraved on Sherlock’s ring “Forever and a day” on the inside. In Sherlock’s box there was an additional band, a tungsten band engraved like his was, a little bigger than his own, for John.

For the first time in seven months, John removed Sherlock’s ring from his finger and placed the band on it, making a silent vow to love and protect Sherlock forever. Sherlock did the same with John, and slid the ring, promising to himself to always be what John wanted and needed. They kissed each other’s fingers and shared a knowing look, they both knew what this meant; they belonged together.

Sherlock put his ring on the necklace and hung it from his neck, and gave John the matching ring for him to do the same. From this day forward they were married, and nothing could ever tear them apart. 


	46. Some unexpected guests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John was about to kiss Sherlock when, suddenly, the door to the room flung open, and an out of breath woman came in and ran to John. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on both cheeks repeatedly. She was about the same height as John, curly red/blond (what the hell did she do to her head?) hair, thin but not lanky, 26, and for once, she didn’t smell like a whiskey cask.

After all the emotional turmoil had ceased, and all congratulations had been given; John went over his parents and interrogated them. He had made a commitment with Bill, and wasn’t about to tell him that the deal was over. Sherlock was there with him, he knew that no matter what, John’s parents will receive Bill with open arms, but having to very sexually active boys was more than they had bargained for.

“Care to explain Dad?” John was irritated.

“Not moving son! Aren’t you happy?” Hamish smiled

“Of course I am, but, what about Bill, and the house you got at Brighton?”

“Well…” Hamish scratched the back of his neck “You know we moved here because I got a promotion”

“Yes?”

“And it turns out that they made me manager and gave me a raise but they also put more hours on me than they should have”

“So?”

“Well, I went to them and they said that if I wasn’t happy I was free to leave. So… I took a chance and looked for another job, and this one was over at Brighton, what I didn’t know was that the company I applied to is part of a much bigger company here in London, and turns out that Siger has some friends there and helped me to get the same position here in London, so we won’t have to move”

“And the flat?”

“Don’t worry son, we found a nice little place for us close to the company, it’s just a couple blocks away, so you can keep the car too, you can use it to go and visit Sherlock whenever” He winked at his son “You have the lease for three more years. By then Sherlock will be back and you’ll want to live someplace else, maybe closer to us, we are staying at Greenwich, but over at Charlton, really close to you”

John couldn’t believe it, they could have asked him to move in with them, or told him something, he felt rage overflow his veins. He was red, his fists white and his breathing ragged.

“And when did you decided all this?” he managed to ask

“It all happened this morning, the job, the flat, everything” his father explained. “We were wondering whether or not you might like to move in with us, but since you have already found a flatmate, and can’t leave him hanging, it might be best if you do share the flat, besides, a couple of blokes like you, with such partners in crime, might enjoy some time alone, no parents… interrupting” Hamish blushed

John didn’t know how to react, so this was as new to his parents as it was for him, and they'd been thinking about him all the time, not only asking him to move with them, but thinking about his right to privacy and a parent-free life. He felt embarrassed for acting like a child, he was angry at himself because he realised he had been acting like a selfish kid, putting his own happiness above anyone else’s; most times he was aware of what was happening, but the last month had been crazy, and he couldn't wait to “start living” as he put it most times. His parents were willing to let him live as he wished, but at the same time, they were giving him the chance to move back whenever he felt like it.

John was left without words, and his father just hugged him; he thought of Sherlock, if he hadn’t met him none of this would be happening, his parents will be at Brighton, he’ll have to struggle for an internship, hell, even Mary might be dead! John felt a hand on his and turned around, it was Sherlock; he looked worried and was looking at John with such tenderness that he felt like he was melting; all his anger and doubt gone at the sight of this wonderful man. The truth was that he had more things to be thankful for than to be angry at. He was thankful for Sherlock, his life was easier just because of him; his mere presence was enough for John to be utterly happy.

John was about to kiss Sherlock when, suddenly, the door to the room flung open, and an out of breath woman came in and ran to John. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on both cheeks repeatedly. She was about the same height as John, curly red/blond (what the hell did she do to her head?) hair, thin but not lanky, 26, and for once, she didn’t smell like a whiskey cask.

Sherlock recognised her immediately, he remembered seeing her picture on John’s corkboard, and all over the house, but she looked thinner and paler, bags under her eyes, a slight shake on her hands. She was trying to get clean, he recognised the symptoms; he had gone through the same.

“You’ve done it Johnny!” She squealed “I’m so proud of you!” She was squeezing him so hard that he had to push her to be able to breathe again.

“Thanks Harry. Glad you could make it” John sighed

“Of course Johnny! After all, what kind of big sister would I be if I don’t come to your graduation party?” Harry looked at John and kissed him again profusely.     

“Did mum called you?” He asked, feeling uncomfortable

“Nope” She looked at him with a mischievous smile

“Dad?”

“Nope”

“Then?”

“Clara called to invite them to dinner with us, and mum told her that she had your graduation today, that they couldn’t make it”

“Clara? Who’s Clara?”

“Oh right, haven’t really talked to you for over a year… Clara’s my wife”

“What?” John was befuddled “How long? When? What?”

“Yup, got married last week. Been dating her for about two years and decided to tie the knot” She said nonchalantly

“Did you at least invite mum and dad?” John was trying his best not to punch his sister

“Nope, that’s why Clara wanted to have dinner” Harry smiled as if the news were the most normal news ever “To tell them the good news!”

John felt enraged. His sister, his selfish sister, got married, not telling anyone, and now she came to see him without notice! He wanted to shout, but couldn’t ruin everyone’s night, all he wanted was for Harry to leave. Then he saw her, a young woman standing close to the door, she was almost as tall as Harry, thin and blond, clear green eyes and a shy smile. ‘Clara’ he thought ‘poor Clara’

Harry called Clara over and introduced her to John; her parents went to meet them too. Hamish was clearly disturbed, they weren’t expecting her; he had been clear to her the last time they spoke “Either you get clean or you’re no longer welcome to our house”. She seemed clean though; she wasn’t her usual self, calmer, less excited about her surroundings, no smell of cigarettes and most important, no smell of alcohol.

Sherlock was looking at the scene from afar, looking at John, noting he was uncomfortable. Mary was standing next to him, clearly annoyed. She had met Harriet a couple years ago, and she didn’t like her at all, she was mean to John, always teasing him, acting silly and selfish; after she left John was devastated, she left just after Christmas almost two years ago, claiming she was leaving to live with her girlfriend “her one and only family”, and after that, not a word to John or to her family.

“Who the hell invited her?” Mary asked

Sherlock just shrugged his shoulders; he didn’t have the faintest…

“She’s bad news, always”

“But she’s clean”

“What? How?” She looked at him

“Her hands are shaky, her eyes are clear, not glassy; it takes over 24 hours to get alcohol off of your system, so I’m confident to say that she hasn’t had a drink for over a week. She has bags under her eyes, she hasn’t been sleeping properly; she also shows symptoms of withdrawal, her lips are dry, and so is her skin, dehydration, and her hair shows that too, though it may be caused by that awful red tint she’s using now. She’s clearly trying… let’s hope she succeeds”

“Let’s hope” Mary sighed

John went over to them and hugged Sherlock, he wanted to go home, to him, and never have to see his sister, he felt betrayed, she had lied and concealed things from him and his family, though Clara looked like a nice woman. But this wasn’t about Clara, this was about Harry and that no matter what, she was always going to be selfish. Sherlock just stood there and held John back, no words were needed; they knew each other well enough to just be there for each other when needed, no questions asked.


	47. When Sherlock met Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock tried to shake Harry’s hand but John was holding him so tight that it was almost impossible to move, so he just nodded at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This version of John is actually my experience on this particular issue. John’s reaction towards Sherlock is the one I had, that’s why I made him act like that… Sorry… This chapter mentions alcoholism and alcohol consumption. If you’re sensitive to it, or majorly affect you, please DON’T READ

They were standing there holding each other when John felt a hand on his shoulder, more than a gentle pat it was a playful hit. His sister was standing behind him.

“So, Johnny boy, who’s the cutie?” Harry snickered

John rolled his eyes and turned in Sherlock’s arms, he wanted to feel him close, at least for the time being. He felt secure in those arms. “This is Sherlock Holmes, my fiancé” John closed his eyes and rested his head on Sherlock’s chest; just his heart beat was enough to help him feel better about everything.

Sherlock tried to shake Harry’s hand but John was holding him so tight that it was almost impossible to move, so he just nodded at her. “Nice to meet you Harriet”

“You got a formal one Johnny!” She chirped

John just sighed and turned over again to bury his face on Sherlock’s chest. Sherlock kissed the top of his head and looked over at Mary.

“Hey, I’m Mary Morstan, John’s best friend” She smirked

“Oh, hi Mary, nice to meet you” Harry turned to look at Mary “Come here love” She called “This here is Clara, my wife”

John turned again, he wasn’t going to act like an arse in front of her sister in law; after all; it wasn’t her fault that Harry was a reckless drunk.

“This is my brother John and his friends Sherlock and Mary” Harry introduced them. This time, Sherlock was able to shake her hand

“It’s really nice to meet you” John shook her hand too. It was an awkward situation; John was uncomfortable and noticed that both Sherlock and Mary were uncomfortable too. He turned over again and hugged Sherlock tightly, as if he could make everything disappear.

“So, how long have you been together?” Harry asked mischievously

“Ten months” Sherlock muttered “And you two?”

“It’ll be two years come October”

John sank even more into Sherlock’s arms. He was aware that his sister had left to live with someone that they barely knew, she just had said she was moving in with her girlfriend and then not a word, not a single word in almost two years! He resented his sister, she said horrible things to his parents, she left not even bothering to call, or text, or something, he was always there, he covered for her, he helped her whenever she came intoxicated, held her hair, helped her take a shower, even helped her dress and undress, and then nothing, because she said she was leaving to be with “her one and only family” John loved his sister, but this was too much.

“How did you know where to come?” Sherlock asked “Because we did try to reach you to invite you to the event but you were nowhere to be found” He said squeezing John more “John and I wanted you to be here, but it was almost impossible to get a hold on you”

“Yeah… Well…” She scratched the back of her head “Last week we were on our honeymoon…” She looked at Clara and squeezed her hand “And a month before the weeding I was on rehab…” She looked down

John turned around to look at his sister, he couldn’t believe it; she actually went to rehab! He could only hope this would last.

“That’s great!” John said, looking at his sister for the first time. Both she and Clara looked down. Clara was crying and Harry looked guilty

“I tried Johnny, but it’s stronger than me. On our wedding day all went to hell, but I’ve been clean for six days now. Not a single drop”

John was frustrated, what was there to hope for? His sister was a lost cause. He turned to Sherlock again, but this time he looked at him, pleadingly, tears in his eyes “Can we please go?” He begged, whispering into Sherlock’s ear, so his sister won’t hear him. Sherlock nodded and looked over at Mary; she knew exactly what to do. She took John’s hand and was there to embrace him. She was the best next thing after Sherlock. John clung on to her for dear life, waiting for Sherlock to come back.

“Please excuse me, I have to ask my mother something” Sherlock excused himself and went over to his parents, leaving a worried Mary and a very concerned Clara. Harry noticed her brother’s reaction, she wanted to hug him, but on the other hand, she didn't want to be rejected.

“Mummy?” Sherlock leaned his head on his mother’s shoulder

“Yes my busy bee?” She turned to look at her son “What’s going on?” She could see he was worried about something

“I was wondering if maybe we could leave” He looked at his mother directly in the eyes, he conveyed all his worries to her with one look

“Is it John? How is he?”

Sherlock shook his head. His mother just nodded and signalled Mycroft

“Yes Mummy?” Mycroft was soon next to her

“Sweetie, your brother and his friends have to leave. The situation might get out of control, so I think it’s best if we wrap this up and go home. Help your brother with John’s sister”

Mycroft nodded and went over to distract Harry and Clara, a couple of champagne trays passed by and Harry was already hugging them. Mary took John by the hand and went to the table were Bill was sitting. John felt disgusted; his sister was drunk already, taking champagne like it was water, one after the other ‘Poor Clara’ was all he could think about.

He felt Sherlock’s hand on his shoulder; he smiled down at John and stretched his hand to him. “All fixed, let’s go”. John took Sherlock’s hand and let him take him out. The evening breeze was exactly what John needed, he felt calmer already.

“Better?” Sherlock looked at John

“Much” He looked back

“Want to walk? We can go through the park if you want”

“That will be great” John took Sherlock’s hand and began to walk, they were at the Winter Garden; so they could be at Hyde Park in less than twenty minutes. They walked silently and as soon as they were at Hyde, John looked for a seat and went directly to it. Sherlock just followed, he knew best

“She lied” John whispered “She lied again”

Sherlock put his hand over John’s shoulder, but John moved it and held Sherlock’s hands in his

“She disappeared for almost two years, and now it turns out she’s married, she went to rehab, she’s drinking again. For almost two years not a word. What’s next? Two more years and a baby bomb? Or maybe a call telling us she’d died? I’m done, she lies, she never listens; I can’t trust her. I feel disappointed. I’m done with her, if she wants to die instead of stop drinking, that’s on her. I’m done”

Sherlock felt a pang of guilt, he had used a couple months ago and he still felt the urge and the need; he didn’t want John to feel about him the way he felt about Harry, he had to stop, no matter what, he couldn’t afford to loose John, and if he kept on using, he will loose him for good.

John could feel Sherlock tense up. “I’m sorry love. I’m so sorry” He moved his hand to Sherlock’s cheek “I’ll never leave you, no matter what”

“Are you sure?” Sherlock asked

“I’m positive. I’m angry at Harry, she promised never to drink again, and five minutes later she was drunk! You on the other hand, you struggle every day, you promised not to use and you held your promise”

“John…” Sherlock looked down, he couldn’t lie, he had to tell him that during that month apart he shoot up at least five times.

“I know Sherlock, I noticed” John said looking at him. “I know you used the month we were apart; I found your stash while helping your mom clean up the greenhouse a couple months ago. I didn’t say anything because I felt so guilty! That’s why I was on top of you all the time, and you didn’t use again, I know, I checked it on my birthday, and believe you me, if by any chance I would found out that you used, probably we wouldn’t be seating here right now”

Sherlock was agape; John was the best man ever “But if you forgive me, why not forgive Harry?”

“Because it is not a matter of forgiveness. There is nothing to forgive; it’s her life, not mine. You on the other hand, you are my life” John smiled at Sherlock “I love my sister, I do, but she lacks something you do have, that’s why I stand by your side”

“Lacks what?”

“Will power” He kissed Sherlock and embraced him. “You have enough will power to not use, and I’ve seen in your eyes the need, I recognise it, but at the same time I see the strength in them to say no, to find other ways to stimulate your mind, and above all, I’ve seen the love, the love you feel for me, for life, for our friends, and the will. I admire you Sherlock, it’s not easy, but you try. Harry on the other hand…”

“I’m sorry John” Sherlock felt guilty, he was an addict, and John had forgiven him. No matter what, he’ll find the way not to use again, no matter the need for it.

“Here” John handed him a strawberry candy “Eat one whenever you miss me, whenever you feel the need to shoot up. It might help”

Sherlock took the candy and put in in his mouth, he then kissed John, playing with the candy passing it with each kiss and enjoying it. He finally had John’s mouth flavour on his own.

“I promise I’m going to try my hardest” Sherlock said when they pulled apart

“I know you will love” John nodded knowingly “I love you”

“I love you”

“Come, let’s go home. We need to make up for the many times we’ve been interrupted this week”

Sherlock leapt to his feet “Your house or mine?”

“Your bed is closer” John winked at him and started walking.

They were close to Sherlock’s home when John turned to him. “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask… Why the greenhouse?”

“Why the greenhouse?” Sherlock wasn’t sure about the meaning of the question

“Yeah, to hide… you know… it”

“Bees” Sherlock answered with a sad smile

“Bees?” John kissed him

“Yes, bees. I love bees… When I was a kid I’d sit in between the rose bushes and watch them for hours, I find them fascinating. There’s a beehive outside the greenhouse; it’s a wild one, but I had the chance to conduct a few experiments with them. I’d love to have some beehives; I find them very interesting; that’s why Mummy’s nickname for me is busy bee”

“But that doesn’t explain why you keep it there” John demanded

“Because I could see the bees after I… and it gave me some peace and order between all the chaos that everything was… seeing them fly, in such an orderly fashion”

John just kissed Sherlock more deeply; even all drugged up, Sherlock’s mind was brilliant.


	48. Summer loving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole month was more like a sex holiday (sorry… honeymoon) than anything else, they barely left the flat, only to buy some food and other necessities, but most time was spent together, scheduling and planning visits, making promises on being careful and thoughtful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: fast smut ahead

John had managed to spend a whole month alone with Sherlock; his parents had moved to a flat in Charlton and he had promised to help Sherlock move some stuff around at his flat in Oxford. Mary had been there for about a week, organising some school stuff and taking her time to make the flat look cosy. When John and Sherlock arrived, they found made beds and furniture organised. The only thing they’ll have to put up were Sherlock’s books and clothes, and some stuff John brought to sort of keep him company.

The whole month was more like a sex holiday (sorry… honeymoon) than anything else, they barely left the flat, only to buy some food and other necessities, but most time was spent together, scheduling and planning visits, making promises on being careful and thoughtful. John had promised Sherlock to skype every day, and Sherlock had promised to call John whenever he felt the need to use drugs.

Instead of taking a car, Sherlock decided it was best to travel by train than be trapped in traffic who knows how many hours; though he had some ulterior motives, one of them being able to kiss John as many times as he pleased without being distracted or distracting him from driving, the cars were to be used only in case of emergency. They agreed that every other weekend Sherlock will go to London and John will visit him at Oxford.

They also agreed that they’ll text each other all the time, respecting each other's class and work schedule, unless it was an emergency and John gave Sherlock a very short list of what he considered an emergency, making clear to him that being bored wasn’t one. Sherlock just pouted but had to agree with John, or else, there will be a punishment, no sex on visiting days, no call on weekdays, and no texting (sexting) during the day.

They asked Mary to visit Bill and vice versa whenever either one of them visited the other; even Christmas was sorted out. They'll spend their time with their families, since their parents were having Christmas together, and the day after Christmas with their friends and every New Year’s Eve was just for the two of them, it was important to spend New Year’s Eve together, and if by chance, John was away, they’ll manage to spend it just the two of them.

John made sure that Mary had time to spend with Sherlock, and that if she noticed something was wrong to call him immediately or to call either Greg or Mycroft. Mary agreed; she knew it will be hard living with Sherlock, and she wanted to make sure that they shared the same schedule, this way he will never be alone. Sherlock on the other hand, made sure that Bill took care of John, to never leave him alone after they were deployed.

Their first night at Oxford, they went directly to bed. Sherlock had teased John all the way from London and he was about to burst, it had been the longest train ride of his life, even though it had taken less than an hour to arrive from London. He was grateful that Sherlock had shipped most of his clothes a few days before so all they had to carry were a couple of suitcases with John’s clothes for the month and nothing more.

As soon as they walked through the door John went straight to Sherlock’s bedroom, his clothes flying everywhere as much as Sherlock’s. They hit the bed together, laughing and kissing each other desperately. They were free, for the first time in many months to stay in bed together, to laugh and shout; to let moans and groans escape from their mouths. They were alone!

John was so aroused that he knew he couldn’t last long, so foreplay wasn’t really in his plans for the time being. He left Sherlock panting and needy and got out of bed to get some lube. As he walked back to the bed he squirted some lube on his fingers and smeared it on his cock. Sherlock watched him with needy eyes and began to prepare himself; he knew that what was coming was going to be rough and fast. John got back to bed and began teasing Sherlock’s entrance with his fingers, while stroking Sherlock’s hard cock. He turned Sherlock with a swift movement and put some lube on his entrance.

“I told you, you shouldn’t have teased me all the way here” John said with a husky voice

“I guess you’ll have to teach me not to do so ever again” Sherlock answered teasingly

John pushed himself in and Sherlock couldn’t hold a whimper. John stopped right then and there

“Did I hurt you?” He was worried

“No, oh God John, no! Just move already!”

John obliged, he thrusted into Sherlock with all the need of the day, his hips out of control, his hands on Sherlock’s hips. Sherlock was pushed to the mattress with every thrust, his arms unable to hold him straight. He grunted and howled, feeling his orgasm coming fast, he stroked his cock a couple of times and came fast and hard, John followed instantly, collapsing on top of Sherlock.

“Fuck” John grumbled, trying to catch his breath “Fast”. He wasn’t able to form one coherent phrase.

“Right” Sherlock answered breathless.

Once they were able to breathe easily, and their hearts had finally settled John spoke

“That sure was fast”

“Tell me about it, I loved it!”

“Me too. I like to take you like that, have you under me, squirming with desire”

“I guess we’ll have to do it more often then” Sherlock teased

 “We have a whole month to do it anyway we want” John said and moved from Sherlock

Sherlock pouted, he liked to have John inside of him, it gave him a sense of property, he was HIS John, and he was inside of him.

“What is it love?” John kissed Sherlock’s back

“You moved out”

“Sorry love, I know how you like it, but I actually have to go to the loo”

“Oh” Was Sherlock’s only answer

“Let’s take a shower. I’ll get the water running, and then we can go and check this city, look for a dry cleaner and some places to eat”

At hearing shower, Sherlock was happy again, he could tease John all over again!

“Fine” He grinned “But I get to do as I want in the shower… You owe me!” He winked

John just smiled, he went to the bathroom and started the water, when he was done he called Sherlock, but he never imagined how he had to pay for what he had done. Sherlock was like an animal, he fucked John almost in the same desperate way John had a few minutes before having John against the wall, his hands held tightly at his hips. Sherlock made John come untouched.

“You take my breath away every time” John declared

“Mm” Sherlock panted and moved out of John. He kissed his shoulder blade and hugged him from the back.

“Wordless?” John teased. “That’s a first for THE Sherlock Holmes!”

“Mm” Sherlock squeezed John tightly

John sighed contently, leaning his head against Sherlock’s shoulder. “Let’s go find a place to eat love”

“Must we?”

“Yes Sherlock, we must”

“Fine” Sherlock pouted and released John. “If we must, then we must”

After their shower, they left the flat and just walked a few blocks and found a Thai place. They delivered and were open until late. John was happy that Sherlock was eating with such gusto, but he also knew that as soon as he left, he’ll be back to his old habits; he’ll have to find a way to make Sherlock eat at least once a day.


	49. Raw need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John was going to miss sleeping like this with Sherlock, having him by his side every single night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Only smut ahead

August went by faster than either one of them wanted. Sherlock was more upset every day, and John noticed. He tried to keep him happy and occupied, they had solved some cold cases together and helped Greg with a few new ones, mostly fives and sixes on Sherlock’s scale, nothing worth going back to London.

The day of their anniversary, John and Sherlock went on a date, it was the last day they had to be alone, the next morning Mary will be arriving with Bill for a couple of days, and then they’ll have to leave. That night, Sherlock was sleeping next to him, it was rare for Sherlock to sleep this much, he usually fell asleep after John, and woke before John did.

After their evening lovemaking session; Sherlock was sleeping on top of John; their legs tangled together, his head resting on his chest and his hands on each side of John’s body. John was holding him; he could see the tungsten ring hanging from Sherlock’s neck, resting on his chest, and the silvery ring shining on Sherlock’s hand. They were married, no documents needed, to John, they already were a married couple.

He stroked Sherlock’s back softly, he looked peaceful and calm. John was going to miss sleeping like this with Sherlock, having him by his side every single night. He felt his heart break, a weekend wasn’t enough but it had to be enough for now; if only he could fast forward time and be really married already…

Sherlock stirred and John stopped his hand, he was afraid that Sherlock might wake up. He looked so beautiful while he was sleeping, and for once, John wanted to look at him without those strikingly gorgeous eyes on him. Those eyes that made him forget how to breathe, how to think, that made him feel loved and wanted and naked all the time, all at the same time. Those closed eyes gave John the time to breathe, to think, to love, to promise things; those closed eyes gave John the time to see Sherlock and enjoy him.

Unthinkingly, John moved his hand again, this time, Sherlock’s eyes fluttered open and John felt naked, those eyes were filled with love, sadness, happiness, lust, want, need, anger, and every other emotion available, and they reflected all of them in one second.

“John?”

“Yes love?”

“You okay?”

“Yes love, just enjoying the view”

“Mm”

“I love that sound”

“It’s barely a sighed hum!”

“Well, I love it”

“Then make me do it” Sherlock teased

“I rather you say my name before” John dipped his head and kissed Sherlock deeply, no words were needed anymore. His hands travelled all the way down Sherlock’s back and found their home at Sherlock’s hips. The kisses were fierce, hungry, but gentle and soft, they were hello and goodbye kisses. John moved slowly and Sherlock followed, soon he was fully sat on John’s lap, his hands resting on John’s shoulder.

John sat slightly and rested his head on the headboard; the lube was always at hand’s reach, under Sherlock’s pillow every time, but Sherlock stopped him; he wanted to feel John, and nothing but John inside him. John’s eyes widened, and a smile spread on his face, all he could do was nod and let Sherlock do as he wanted. Sherlock kissed John, teasing his lips open with his tongue, the kiss was sweet, tender, slow and peaceful, contrasting with the frantic movement of Sherlock’s hips under John’s hands, he was making himself comfortable while teasing both of them in the process.

Suddenly Sherlock stopped cold, no rocking hips, no deep kissing, nothing. John opened his eyes and looked at Sherlock, he had that look on his face, the same one he had on John’s birthday, the same eyes filled with love, pupils dilated, calmed breathing, lips parted and kiss swollen, his hands on John’s chest, feeling his heart beat. John couldn’t breathe again; sleeping, Sherlock was breath-taking, awake, he was like the ocean and John was drowning in those maddening eyes, the perfect skin, the soft curls, the lips, a body to kill and die for, and the soul, the beautiful soul.

Sherlock kissed John, tenderly, excruciatingly tenderly, John could feel his eyes sting with tears, too much happiness and love for his poor heart; if he was to die, he’ll die happily in Sherlock’s arms, being kissed like there was no tomorrow, and in fact, there was no tomorrow, just the two of them, now, here, skin against skin, lips on lips, eyes on eyes.

Sherlock moved down, John wasn’t sure how to react, and before he knew it, Sherlock was between his legs, placing soft kisses down his inner thigs. A hand rested on his stomach, the other one on the mattress, clenching the sheets and supporting a strong arm, muscles strained from the almost awkward, yet enticing position. Sherlock’s tongue was traveling all the way down his navel to his thigs and back up again.

A soft gasp escaped John’s mouth when Sherlock licked his length. He closed his eyes and focused on breathing, he knew that if he fixed his eyes on Sherlock it all will be finished too soon. He felt Sherlock move and shift, the hand on his stomach went missing, he wanted that hand back, but it had travelled all the way down to hold him and pump slowly next to Sherlock’s mouth, but then again, the hand went missing. John knew it was best not to touch Sherlock, the heat that he emanated was driving him crazy, and so he left his hands rest on his sides, aching to touch his lover.

Sherlock let him go with a loud pop, he missed him already, but what Sherlock had done wasn’t teasing or maddening, it was soft, not needy, just some playful licking and sucking, almost as if they were kissing. Another movement and he felt Sherlock’s soft lips against his neck, his hands nowhere to be found, when John opened his eyes, the sight in front of him was both beautiful and intoxicating, one hand was moving to hold John’s stiff length and the other was teasing behind Sherlock’s entrance. It was too much, John had to close his eyes again and breathe deep.

The sensation was almost unbearable, it was like that first time, Sherlock was tight and warm, and as always eager, but he moved slowly up and down, his hands on John’s chest, his lips on John’s neck. John finally moved his hands to Sherlock’s hips, he needed more hands to grab all of him, he wanted to touch his back, his chest, his curls, his face, everything, but he didn’t have enough hands, so he had to move his all over the place, almost desperately.

“Kiss me” He demanded

Sherlock moved his mouth and trapped John’s lips, never losing his pace, making John squirm and gasp. A shiver ran up and down his spine, Sherlock looked so beautiful, so peaceful, as if what they were doing was the only thing left to do in the world, and nothing more. Sure, every time they made love it was beautiful and wonderful and most times epic, but every time there was something new, something wonderful and beautiful, a new discovery to be made, a new position, or even an old one with something more added to it, a new sigh, a new moan. They had shared a bed for almost a year, and every time it felt like the first time, and every single time, Sherlock made John feel loved, wanted, needed, and wonderfully full and sated.

At first, Sherlock moved slowly, playfully, teasingly even, but then he had found the right position and his hips moved faster, thrusted harder, engulfing John completely; his hands shifted from his chest to his shoulders, Sherlock’s forehead rested on his. John just let him do as he pleased, he was lost in Sherlock’s hands, and body and overall feeling that he could barely move, the sight was just too beautiful, and as breath-taking as always.

And those eyes, those gorgeous eyes, that could turn anyone into a piece of paper filled with information, were looking at John with such love and lust that he lost it, he moved his hips up and felt Sherlock’s hot come on his belly, he had come untouched, like so many other times, and it was beautiful, the sight of him gasping for air, repeating John’s name like a mantra, struggling to fill his lungs with some air, the skin of his chest and his neck tightening, his hands grasping whatever they could, from John’s hands to his hips or his hair and his shoulders.

The flushed skin and glimmering beads running down his chest and his forehead, those curls plastered to his forehead, falling on the sides of his head were as beautiful as Sherlock himself. John was lost in love, too lost to even remember that his own orgasm was coming. Sherlock moved his hips a couple of times up and down, riding his own orgasm, and John was coming, he was blind, and blissful, no air in his lungs, no words in his mouth, nothing but the feeling of Sherlock’s body against his, his skin, his soft breath, his lips, and his kisses, his hands and legs, his heart beat.

John was being held by Sherlock so lovingly, the kisses were so deep, and his hips so teasing that he felt a second orgasm coming, and that was a first. He had no idea what was going on, but they were so turned on that even Sherlock came for the second time, clenching over John, riding him slowly and happily. Everything calmed down a couple minutes later. He couldn’t dare to move, there was no need for it; he could stay like this forever.

Sherlock kissed him softly on his ear, more a peck than a kiss, and John was down to earth again, holding Sherlock close, kissing his shoulder, moving them so he was on top of him, he wanted more, he needed more, he had to consume Sherlock all night, in all ways possible, he had to celebrate that they were together for a year, that he had a wonderful, gorgeous, always eager man by his side, that they were going to be married, that they had a life ahead of them to spend it the way they wanted, that they were here, tonight, and that this was a form of forever.

He nestled his head on Sherlock’s neck, breathing him in, he smelled like cinnamon and vanilla, and John’s sweat and sex and love, and sleepiness, and morning and night, he smelled like winter and summer at the same time. Less than twenty minutes later, John was ravishing Sherlock, kissing him deeply again, thrusting against him, a feral need to possess, to consume every last moan, every sigh, to obtain every sound  and every movement, to become one.

The first lights of the morning came through the barely closed curtains, the light danced on Sherlock’s skin and John was mesmerized by the movement of the light on his chest as he breathed, on his shoulder as it softly hit the mattress, on his leg as it moved against John’s hip. He was having Sherlock for the nth time, John couldn’t even remember how many times he had made Sherlock call his name and make those pleased sounds that drove him crazy, he couldn’t have enough, he wanted more, but the spell was soon to be broken by Mary’s voice, she and Bill had arrived, and the bubble burst, leaving him with a nerve-wracking need to have Sherlock, to be inside of him.

That night he took Sherlock to a hotel, he needed to feel him, to be fully sated, to consume every ounce of Sherlock before he had to leave. Sherlock let him, they had to be apart for over a week, and he also wanted to be with John, to feel him in every way possible. That Sunday, John and Bill left on the 20:51 train from Oxford to Paddington, and more than one heart broke that night on the platform.


	50. Temporary goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another year was gone this way, filled with temporary goodbyes, every weekend shared as if it was the last, and when finally school was over, Sherlock returned to London and went straight to John’s flat, he was there, waiting for him; He will see John off to work, then he will go and visit his parents, then off to the yard to work on some cases with Lestrade. By night he’ll be waiting for him, take out for dinner almost every night, but Sherlock was getting the hang on cooking, so he will cook for John once in a blue moon. Their lives were settling into a nice domesticity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here I cover almost two years… sorry… didn’t want to detain myself explaining university years (BORING, JOHN!)

The months went by, and John and Sherlock had managed to spend almost every day together, via calls and texts, and skype, the weekends passed, each faster than the one before, but Sherlock had managed to control his need to shoot up, and Mary was helping him a lot, they now shared some sort of domesticity that made both comfortable, and they became friends in a short period of time. Sherlock had learned not to play his violin at two in the morning, and Mary had learned to manage Sherlock’s tantrums.

As planned, they went to London for the holidays, John and Sherlock immediately latched to each other and spent the whole three weeks like conjoint twins, barely letting one another go, except to go to the loo, and even then, they’ll be almost desperate to be together again. Sherlock’s Michaelmas went rapidly and he was exited to go on his Hilary, John was excited about his first term too; they had shared some experiences and John was happy to have Sherlock to talk to about this whole experience.

They spent together, as promised, New Year’s Eve, and soon it was time to go back to school. John had managed to spend Sherlock’s seventeenth birthday with him, having home cooked meals and of course, a nice dose of each other by night; the next morning John left early, he had drove so it was easier to leave early in the morning and arrive just in time for his first morning class.

Sherlock had done the same, he finished his Trinity before John’s birthday, and as soon as classes were over, he went to the station and was at Paddington in less than an hour. He went to the hospital to meet John; it was a truly nice birthday surprise; not to mention their second anniversary; that was a memorable one.

Another year was gone this way, filled with temporary goodbyes, every weekend shared as if it was the last, and when finally school was over, Sherlock returned to London and went straight to John’s flat, he was there, waiting for him; He will see John off to work, then he will go and visit his parents, then off to the yard to work on some cases with Lestrade. By night he’ll be waiting for him, take out for dinner almost every night, but Sherlock was getting the hang on cooking, so he will cook for John once in a blue moon. Their lives were settling into a nice domesticity.

One afternoon, after visiting Angelo; -he was still in jail, and he had a couple more weeks inside; Sherlock had proved he didn’t murdered anybody, that he was breaking and entering somewhere else, so the sentence was a short one, eight months of lock up- Sherlock was leaving the yard when he bumped into a lady, maybe a couple years older than his mother, she showed signs of domestic violence; she could barely hide the bruises on her arms and neck, and a nasty fist mark on her left eye.

Sherlock looked at her up and down, he read her whole life at first sight, as much as he did with anybody else, but by this time he knew better, he acted apologetically and helped the lady from the floor. As soon as he reached for her she flinched and Sherlock moved his hands away looking directly at her with a soft smile on his lips as to assure her that he meant no harm.

“I’m sorry… I just…”

“Don’t worry ma’am. I’m the one that’s sorry. I bumped into you, not the other way”

“You sure are a polite young man” The lady giggled

“My name is Sherlock Holmes” He stretched his hand and she shook it softly

“I’m Martha, Martha Hudson”

“Do you need any help Mrs. Hudson? It looks like you do”

“Yes, I need a police officer; I need to… report… on someone… uh…”

“Your husband maybe?” Sherlock was acting all Sherlock-ish again

“How did you…?” She was agape

“Don’t worry Mrs. Hudson; I think I can help. Want to tell me about it?”

Her story was a sad one, and Sherlock was aware that it might be hard to put the bastard behind bars but he promised to do as much as he could, by the end of the summer, he had helped Mrs. Hudson to end her marriage and had her husband sent to jail and to death row. She was so grateful to him that she promised to help him in any way possible.

The day the sentence was ruled, Sherlock was with her, at her flat. She had showed him the entire place, 221B sure was nice; Sherlock could easily picture them living there. The neighbourhood was nice, it was close to Bart’s, well, rather close, and close to his parents, and then it hit him. He could rent the place, buy it, whatever, and live there with John; for their first home it was perfect, a two room flat at Baker Street!

He had told Mrs. Hudson all about John and she was excited to meet him, they had planned a dinner before Sherlock had to go back to school, this way they could meet properly. Sherlock was excited, he had managed to convince her to be his future landlady and she had agreed, though it could be said she had no idea what she was signing for.

The dinner went well; Mrs. Hudson was really sweet and made them feel at home. She loved John; she thought he was the perfect match for Sherlock, with him being a doctor and all. She showed them the flat, winking at Sherlock; he just smiled and hugged John once they were alone in the flat.

“You like it?” Sherlock asked with a huge grin on his face

“It’s nice and cosy” John said. “I do like it. Why?”

“It’s a surprise” Sherlock kissed him settling the argument.

They left Baker St. and went to John’s. Mary was there with Bill; they had a nice dinner together and went to the movies after, of course Sherlock sulked the whole time, but John knew exactly what to do to keep him quiet. John put a hand on Sherlock’s thigh, moving it up and down, if Sherlock was silent, John would move his hand up, if Sherlock made some sort of snarky remark, John would move it farther down.

By the time they reached John’s flat again, all Sherlock wanted was to go to bed and strip John as fast as possible, but as usual, other plans were made and they were stuck with a bunch of couples, having a party and sharing a few drinks. Both were frustrated; the sharing worked as long as they could be able to have some alone time, but now, having to share all the time, it wasn’t as fun as it was supposed to be.


	51. Bloody Sandhurst, Bloody Irene, Bloody distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Am I to assume we’re over then?”... “I don’t know..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not British, I actually live at the other side of the world (Latin America), so I had to do a lot of research about RAMC and Sandhurst and other Universities back there. Sorry if there are many mistakes about John’s training. I wanted to be as thorough as possible, but if you find in your hearts to spare my many mistakes; I’ll be more that grateful to you dear, faithful readers

Summer vacations were over, and Sherlock had to return for his final Michaelmas. John had to work that day, so he left Sherlock at Paddington’s and had to run before they could even have a proper goodbye. Sherlock was used to it, since some nights he’ll have to wake up to see John leaving, receiving a fast peck on his lips and nothing more, far too many times now.

That weekend, instead of John going to Oxford as planned, both Mary and Sherlock went to London; Bill and John had been called to Sandhurst and had to be there next week to receive orders and begin their 48 weeks “crash” course to be part of the Royal Army Medical Corps. He had already done his Defence Medical Services training, and was ready to attend the Royal Defence Medical College, but as the soldier he always wanted to be, John had chosen to do the 11 months training at Sandhurst.

He sure will be having a couple of weeks to spare every three months, but it wasn’t the same. Sherlock was enraged, to say the least, this wasn’t what they agreed on, he was supposed to be training to become a doctor, not a soldier, and both being as strong headed and stubborn as they were, this wits war was lost for both sides before it even began.

To John, Sherlock was being a selfish arse; to Sherlock, John was being a reckless arse. Words such as “inconsiderate”, “selfish”, “reckless”, “arsehole”, “I’m done with this shit”, and “this might as well be over", had travelled back and forth for over two hours over John’s kitchen table at his flat. Mary and Bill left them to their fight, running from what started to seem like the beginning of the Third World War and the end of an era. After those two hours, Sherlock had stopped pacing the kitchen and John had stopped pounding the table with his fists and they both sat in front of one another with one decision to be made.

After an hour of silence, that was driving them both crazy, they shifted uncomfortably on their seats, unable to look at each other

“So” John cleared his throat “Am I to assume we’re over then?”

“Is that what you want John?” Sherlock tried to stop the clear tremble in his voice

“I don’t know” John looked down. Three years of his life, the three happiest years of his life could mean nothing in one second

“I don’t know either” Sherlock said honestly, he too felt as if all the happiness was being drained from the world and he was left alone and naked under the cold rain

“Maybe it’s the wisest choice” John played with the ring on his finger

“How can it be the wisest choice if it means that were are to be apart?” Sherlock played with the ring on his neck.

“But you said you were tired of “this shit” already” John argued

“And so did you” Sherlock rebutted

“But I just said it because you said it first, and you said you were tired and you wanted out”

“And so did you. I guess it’s true then, you’re tired of me”

“I never said I was tired of you, I just said that I was over everything”

“You are over me then… I guess I should go, and let you out of this “shit”, since is the “wisest” thing to do” Sherlock faked a grimace

“I never…” John sighed, he looked defeated “We’re going in circles again” John pinched his nose

Sherlock simply nodded

“Is it over?” John asked again

Sherlock shook his head a few tears escaped his eyes and made their way to his chin. John went over to hug him; he couldn’t bare the sight of Sherlock crying, and much less, crying because of him   

“I’m sorry love, I’m so sorry” John began

“You don’t have to apologise” Sherlock cut him off “I’m the one who’s sorry. I’ve always known what you wanted to become, and I can’t act as if it takes me by surprise. It’s just that I love you so much, and I have already given up being with you during the week, to now only being able to be together a couple of weeks every three and more months”

“I know, love, I’m sorry. It’s hard for me too. I don’t want us to be done and over. I love you so much, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life”

“I want that too, so much, with all my heart. I understand what you want, and I’m willing to accept what’s coming, as long as you come back home, to me, as soon as you can”

“I will, you can have all my free time, I’ll be like your shadow if that’s what you want”

“I want you to be my light” Sherlock kissed John deeply

“I believe this was our first fight” John chuckled

“I believe you’re right” Sherlock grinned

“Should we… you know… make up?” John stroked Sherlock’s back

“Love the idea” Sherlock looked at John and kissed him again. They made up several times that night, and the next day, obviously. On Sunday night Sherlock left with Mary to Oxford.

As promised, they shared New Year’s Eve together; it was the least John could do for a clearly depressed Sherlock, he had managed to spend Sherlock’s nineteenth birthday with him and had planned on visiting him during spring break. By January, Mary had got herself a job as a teacher’s aide, and was tutoring a young woman called Irene Adler. The young and beautiful brunette had developed an insane and unhealthy crush with Sherlock and spent most of her free time at Mary’s and Sherlock’s flat “studying”.

One night, she had managed to stay as late as possible; feigning sleepiness and falling asleep on their couch after a movie she had convinced Mary to watch. Sherlock left to his room and was skyping with John as almost every night; Sherlock was happy because by tomorrow night, John will be with him, they were checking on train schedules from Sandhurst to Oxford and planning their week together.

At about one in the morning, after Mary had left Irene on the couch and went to her room, and after Sherlock was all tucked in his bed, hugging one of John’s jumpers that helped him sleep, he felt some movement close to his door, but he thought it was Mary going to the bathroom in one of her nightly visits to the loo, it didn’t sound like her, but though, so he thought it might be her young student. Suddenly, the door to his bedroom flung open and a very naked Irene came in.

She went over to Sherlock’s bed and invited herself in, she slipped under the covers and began to fondle against Sherlock in the most disgusting way. He turned to her to stop the movement and she kissed him, her tongue all over the place. She sat on top of him and began to fumble with his pyjama bottoms, trying to undress him at all cost. He somehow managed to capture her hands and push her away. He moved away from the bed and put on his coat and left the flat.

He ended up at Sebastian Wilkes’ dorm room; sure they weren’t really friends, but he was rather nice to Sherlock; sadly, it was worst than he expected, Sebastian was drunk and was having a sort of orgy with a couple of his classmates; he too tried to grope Sherlock, so he was left with the choice to return to the flat or wander aimlessly through Oxford until morning. In the end, after walking for a couple of hours; being as cold as it was, he had no choice but to return to his flat. He climbed the stairs as quietly as possible and sat on the couch; he needed to think and process what just had happened.

The next morning, Mary found him sitting in the sofa, lost in his thoughts, unresponsive and looking like he had a very rough night. An innocent looking Irene came out of Sherlock’s room covering herself with his sheet and sat next to him pecking his cheek

“Thank you for the most wonderful night ever” She lied and winked at Mary.

Mary was flabbergasted; she couldn’t believe Sherlock could do something like that to John! She was about to shout at him, tell him he was an arsehole, that she was disappointed in him, when a very hungover Sebastian came to the flat looking for Sherlock.

“He’s here” Mary answered angrily

“Hi mate” Sebastian began “Sorry for what happened last night” He said looking apologetically at Sherlock “I was really drunk, and you know… But you should have stayed either way. I knew something must be very wrong if you were at my door at one in the morning”

“He what?” Mary asked confused

“He appeared at my door in his pyjamas and his coat at one or so in the morning. I was really drunk but I recall him explaining that he had an unwelcome guest back home and he needed a place to stay for the night. He left immediately though, but some people saw him on campus wondering for a couple of hours”

Mary felt guilty, she understood everything now; it was all Irene’s fault, and her fault too for letting her stay at their place. She immediately kicked Irene out their flat and called John; luckily he was on his way and will be there in a couple of hours.

As always, John kissed Irene off of Sherlock’s mouth, like he had done many other times after theatre practices and performances kissing away the girls Sherlock was forced to kiss. But that wasn’t enough this time, she went to Sherlock’s flat and tried to convince John that she was the victim here, that Sherlock forced her, lead her to his bed, and that she was practically raped.

John was infuriated, he wanted to kill her; instead, he called Mycroft and asked for a favour; “make it look like an accident” were his last words to his brother in law. Sebastian apologised to John and promised he’ll help to keep an eye on her, but as always, he was mostly drunk and to busy fucking everything that walked past by him to really fulfil his promise.

That night John made sure to change the sheets and burn them; he wasn’t jealous, he knew Sherlock could never be unfaithful; but he was disgusted, disgusted with every men and women that looked at HIS Sherlock with lust, as if he was an object to be had by any means possible. He could have burned the mattress for all he cared but it was unnecessary; as always, Sherlock was his and proved him that all night.

The next day, Irene was nowhere to be seen. Mycroft had kept his promise of taking care of his baby brother, and Mary had a new student by that afternoon, but she was forbidden to take her to the flat, unless she was certain that this one wasn’t a psycho. Mary never took another student to the flat, she couldn’t risk losing Sherlock, and she was certain she would rather die before losing John.


	52. Back to London

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Our flat? What flat?”
> 
> “The one at Baker Street?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I profusely apologise for not knowing exactly how the military works back in England

After the Irene incident, Sherlock concentrated on getting his degree even faster; he studied all day and all night, his experiments becoming more successful. He also stopped seeing Sebastian and changed the locks to the flat, just in case psycho Irene, or whatever other psycho had copies of the keys.

Sherlock planned a birthday surprise for John; he will take advantage of his parade week to celebrate his twenty first birthday. When John came back, Sherlock was waiting for him at Angelo’s. John no longer had the lease to his flat, since they’ve been living at Sandhurst; he didn’t see a point on keeping a flat that no one would be living in anymore. By the time being, he could spend some time with his parents until he had to return to camp; being at his parents was a good option, nevertheless; he felt self-conscious about it.

To Sherlock, John looked dashing. He was wearing his uniform, his parade uniform of course, and had a tan that suited him perfectly, his hair was blonder because of the sun and he looked delicious, more muscular and heavy than he used to look; all that military training was giving him a built up body. He always looked hot, but now he was even hotter than ever. Sherlock couldn’t wait to spend the night with him at their new flat. He could only hope that he was as happy as he was with the idea; he’ll have to find a place to live and pronto; or at least a place to live with Sherlock.

“As you know” Sherlock began “I graduate from Uni at the end of the week, and the ceremony will be held at University College. I still have the flat back at Oxford so we can stay there for the time being, if you want to, of course”

John nodded, this was best than staying at his parents’ couch; or even at Sherlock’s old room.

“But first” Sherlock continued “We can go home to leave your stuff, and we can also go shopping to pick some furniture; maybe we can ask your mom and mine to come along and help us, if you want to, of course”

John looked at Sherlock questioningly; he had no idea what was going on, and why Sherlock was acting so mysteriously. ‘Home? What home? We have a home?’

“Sherlock?” John looked at his lover

“Yes John” Sherlock locked gazes

“What are you talking about? What furniture? Isn’t the Oxford flat fully furnished?”

“Yes, but I was talking about OUR flat” Sherlock answered nonchalantly

“Our flat? What flat?”

“The one at Baker Street?” Sherlock smiled

“Baker Street?” What?” John was very confused

“Remember Mrs. Hudson. I helped her and she agreed to rent the flat to us”

“She what? When? How?”

“She is renting a flat to us at 221B. Since last week that I decided I’ll move out of my parents’ house and by signing a lease contract” Sherlock answered in an ‘Isn’t it obvious John?’ tone.

“And you didn’t bother to ask me if I wanted this?” John was annoyed, amused at the same time, but clearly annoyed

“I was about to ask you if you wanted to move in with me to Baker Street, that’s why I asked you if you wanted to come and get some furniture. I have an air mattress and some boxes with clothes and books and other stuff, but it’s a mess still, I was planning on getting a large bed, a sofa, a couple of chairs and a table, a desk and arm chairs, you know, furniture in general, but since that might be delivered next week, and we have to go to Oxford any way, I thought about asking you if you wanted to stay with me there for this last week and then come back to Baker Street to live there together”

John was stupefied, Sherlock, his Sherlock had managed to get a flat for them, and was asking him to move in with him. All the tension and anger left John’s body, they had a flat and they will be living there from now on. He still had to go on his tours; but then he’ll be back for good, serving if called, he could get a job at a private surgery and live with Sherlock at 221B Baker St.

“John?”

“Yes”

“So, what do you say?”

“I say yes. Yes I want to move in with you to Bakers Street, and yes I want us to get married before I leave again, and yes, yes to everything you’ve said”

Sherlock beamed, he was happy. He knew John had to leave in a couple of weeks, but he felt almost okay with it, he knew that John will be back, that he was being sent to help and not to combat, even if he was being prepared to do so.

After dinner (free thanks to Angelo) they went to Baker St. Mrs. Hudson was so glad to see that John was okay, the smile on Sherlock’s face was more than enough for her to really like John.

“Hello boys! I left some tea and biscuits for you. Sherlock dear, I cleaned a bit, I know you don’t like it when I clean, but it was so dusty dear!”

“Thank you Mrs. Hudson” Sherlock looked at her “Now if you’ll excuse us” and he went up the stairs

“I’ll be right here if you need me dear. Nice to see you again John”

“Thank you Mrs. Hudson; glad to see you too” John smiled at her and went upstairs with Sherlock.

In fact, the flat was a mess, a lot of boxes were scattered around the otherwise empty living room. A stack of books sat peacefully next to the main window, and Sherlock’s violin sat next to them, in his case, next to the music stand. Some folders were scattered all over the floor and a few pictures and documents were pinned to the wall. At the top of the chimney there was a skull and some envelopes with bills and a knife put through them. In the kitchen John saw two mugs, some tea and a kettle. A microwave oven; a stove and a fridge were all the contents of the kitchen.

“There’s a room upstairs” Sherlock signalled “I thought we could use it as an office first” He smiled and looked at John

“I didn’t know that the flat had two rooms, I thought it had just one” John smiled back “An office first? And then what?”

“Maybe a nursery?”

John was flabbergasted, it was the first time since they were together, than John had heard Sherlock talk about babies, and they’ve been together for almost four years now. He went over the window and hugged Sherlock and kissed him slowly and softly

“And our room will be where?” He asked teasingly

“Right this way” Sherlock held his hand and went down the hall

The room was dark; the only lamp there was the ceiling one. An air mattress sat lonely in the middle of the room. Some of Sherlock’s clothes were scattered all over the floor and some were hung on the wardrobe, three suitcases contained most of his clothes, and his microscope sat on the floor along with some drawings and notes.

“This will do for now” John said pushing Sherlock down to the air mattress. Sherlock bounced slightly, and almost fell off of it. John giggled loudly and had to calm himself down not to laugh out loud, he was to blame for the situation, he had pushed Sherlock down.

Sherlock laughed too, the situation wasn’t as comfortable as it should be, and as much as he wanted John that night, he also wanted to make love in a proper bed, not having to worry about falling off it; he also wanted to christen the flat with John before he left again, but he wanted to do it comfortably.

“Maybe we should wait till the bed gets here” Sherlock sighed

John sat next to him and held his hands on his “Maybe you’re right” He sighed back “What time is it?” He asked

“Almost nine, why?”

“To call my mum and yours, to ask them for help, and to go to Tesco to buy some necessities; there’s one close by, yeah?”

“Yeah, there’s an express over at Melcombe; and another one at Baker with York. But, what necessities?”

“Bathroom stuff? Some bread and milk for tomorrow morning? A couple of dishes?”

“Oh, no need for that. The bathroom’s over there, through that door, there’s another one upstairs. And I have bought some bread and milk, and we have a couple of dishes and some cutlery”

“Seriously?” John smiled widely “Then let’s call our mums and ask for some help”

Sherlock took his phone out and called his mum, and so did John, they were to meet them the next day to buy all the stuff they needed, they had agreed to meet them by nine and go buy furniture first, then they’ll go and buy some other stuff they might need and after that, just wait for the furniture to arrive.


	53. Shopping spree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John was wandering about how a shopping spree could produce memory loss...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I researched the stores too, hope you like them…

The next day they met their mothers at some furniture store close to their place. “Hülsta” was the best according to Violet; they had all sorts of furniture, from beds to tables and chairs. She wanted for them to have the best. They bought a king sized bed that was to be delivered that afternoon, and the store manager had offered to send a couple of people to help them set it up, they had agreed, they’ll be receiving the bed by five in the afternoon, that meant they’ll have to move on, and buy the other stuff they needed.

They got all kinds of tables, from bedside ones, to side tables to go next to a non- existent sofa. It will all be delivered this afternoon; along with a desk and some office furniture, bookcases and even a couple of mirrors. Violet had bought the entire store. Some items will be delivered this afternoon, the bed and the dinning set, and others along the week, like the bookcase and the office furniture.

After the first store, they went to buy a “proper” mattress (whatever that means to a mother), some sheets (apparently having two sets wasn’t enough, so they ended up with almost ten sets of different colours, ranging from black to white), they gave them towels and pillows. For the linen they went to “Cologne and Cotton”, Violet was going crazy and was buying so much stuff, that John and Sherlock were feeling overwhelmed and it wasn’t even noon yet.

They got several duvets and even bedside lamps. Lia bought a quilt and promised to make one for them, a double sided one to match both John and Sherlock’s style. Sherlock drew the line at table cloths, but his mother got away with it and bough half the store for them; she looked like a kid in a candy store.

The next stop was Baker Street; they wanted to see were their kids were going to live. They went into the flat and Violet scolded Sherlock for the mess, he tried to clean up but since he still didn’t have any furniture, there wasn’t anything he could do. They left the flat, no bags in arms (finally) and the shopping spree continued.

The next stop was another furniture store, the mission, getting a sofa. They went to a couple of stores until Sherlock and John found the one they liked, a brownish-red leather sofa, two arm chairs, one for each, and some cushions, being the one with the Union Jack their favourite. They also got some rugs and lamps. Violet was adamant in getting a full dinner service, and cutlery, glasses and what not. At this point they were so overwhelmed that they agreed to everything as long as it meant that the day would finish and they could go home.         

They stopped for lunch somewhere near Baker St. It was almost four when they had finished with most of the shopping. Violet and Lia went their ways and promised to help their sons get some more stuff that they might need (the only things left at the stores were the clerks and the display furniture, so what else might they need?)

The bed arrived promptly at five, and the mattress followed shortly after. They collapsed on top of it, not even bothering to make it properly; they were utterly tired and needed some rest, so they found sleep in each other’s arms. Around eight, hunger had driven them out of the flat, so they went to the Tai place they had discovered a couple hours ago and enjoyed dinner. When they arrived, a rather large lorry was waiting for them outside; it was the rest of the furniture! Leave it to a Holmes to change delivery times…

They even got a telly and a stereo ‘When did we buy these?’ John was wandering about how a shopping spree could produce memory loss when a very excited Mrs. Hudson entered their flat; another lorry had pulled over and was packed with a sofa and two armchairs and some other stuff, rugs, curtains and what not.

By the end of the night, the flat was already looking more like a home, it was cosy and warm, the curtains fitted perfectly with the wallpaper, and the bed was actually very comfortable. The sofa fitted exactly on the wall and the side tables and coffee table matched perfectly; even the rug was a perfect match.

They collapsed on top of one another on the sofa; they wanted to rest for a while but ended up falling asleep there, muscles sore and minds swirling. The next morning, Sherlock woke up all wrapped up by John’s body. He felt home for the first time in a long time; for all he care he could be under a bridge, as long as he was with John; because John was home.

The sofa proved to be very comfortable, but they still had to clean the flat, put away clothes and books, arrange some more furniture and make their bed. Sherlock kissed John softly on the top of his head and moved his hand slowly on his back. John stirred and his eyes fluttered open; he looked at Sherlock lovingly and kissed the tip of his nose

“Morning love” He muttered sleepily

“Morning love” Sherlock answered “Time to get up, we have a lot of things to do before going to Oxford”

“Right” John got up and started undressing right there “Shower?” He winked at Sherlock

Sherlock followed him, undressing on the way to the bathroom. They washed each other before John left to make some tea and breakfast. He was already familiarised with the flat and being the one that arranged the kitchen, he knew were everything was. He went to the bedroom holding a tray and found Sherlock choosing some sheets to make their bed. They made it while sipping some tea and nibbling some toasts. Ten minutes later, the bed looked as if it was never made.

They spent the whole day at their new home, making love, not even bothering on answering their phones or even leaving the flat to eat, they finished all the tea they had and all the milk and bread. That night they called the Tai place and had food delivered to them and stayed in bed till the next morning, nothing mattered more than the two of them, and their new home.

That afternoon, after finally cleaning the flat and fixing what was left; Sherlock was getting ready to leave to Oxford when a panting Lestrade burst in their flat. He was frantic and he looked terrified.

“Why don’t you pick your bloody phone?” He shouted

“Busy” was Sherlock’s only answer

“What’s going on Greg?” John asked offering him some water

“It’s Moriarty” He growled “He’s gone, and Magnussen is with him”

They shared a concerned look; these were the worst news ever.


	54. Should old acquaintance be forgot?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fortunately, John was being watched by a hawk, not just a mere “bird”; Mycroft himself was in charge of safeguarding his brother in law.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moriarty! dun, dun, dun!

Sherlock shivered, he knew John was in danger, and he had to do something, he already lost Victor, he couldn't loose John. Thankfully, John had to be at Sandhurst and then off to his first tour to Brunei for training, that gave Sherlock at least five months to decide what to do. Mary was in danger too; with Magnussen out she had to be protected by all means.

“I’ve talked to Mycroft already” Greg revealed “He said he’ll send some birds over and that he’ll place some eyes here too”

“Not the bedroom I hope” John spat

Greg rolled his eyes; he knew Mycroft was capable of placing eyes at the shower if that meant he could keep his brother safe.

“He said that you should attend your graduation as planned, any change on your routine could alert him” Greg was certainly concerned

“So, we are not supposed to know he’s gone” Sherlock looked at Greg

“No, you’re not; you’re supposed to be at Oxford, not London, and John is supposed to be at Sandhurst. Two cars will be over here in about ten minutes; that’s why I came to look for you”

“And how did you know we were here?” This time John looked at Greg with murderous eyes

“Not my division, you’ll have to ask Mycroft about that” Greg looked down

Sherlock sighed; his brother the meddler and his mother the gossip… But if it meant they’ll be safe for a few more days, then he was grateful for it. As announced, two cars pulled outside Baker St. Both John and Sherlock boarded on one and Greg on the other; they switched cars a couple of times and that afternoon they were at Sherlock’s flat back in Oxford.

Later that afternoon Mary arrived too, and all their parents were there, as previously planned. The graduation ceremonies went uneventful, John went to Sandhurst a week earlier and Sherlock was back in London, ready to face whatever came. As to keep Mary safe, Mycroft had birds and eyes at her place 24/7, the same he did for Sherlock.

Every visitor was checked up, as were every letter and car that pulled either at Sherlock’s or Mary’s. Through his dealer, Sherlock had met a couple of homeless teenagers before his brother sent him away, they were keen of Sherlock, so they were his eyes and ears whenever he needed them to be, they too were acting as birds and eyes, since Mycroft’s birds could be very conspicuous. As previously decided, they kept each other company, the same way they did back at Oxford, but this time it was different; they had to work and they couldn’t be around each other as much as they may wanted to be.

A few weeks later Sherlock received a rather nice surprise; Molly was working at the morgue in Bart’s and she was willing to help Sherlock with his experiments; it was rather nice having him close, in spite of the fact that he was mostly an arse to her; not willingly of course, but his social skills diminished grandly when John wasn’t around.

They tried to live as normally as possible, and the year was over in the blink of an eye. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened, except that John was sent to Brunei and had met with an old acquaintance of him, James Sholto, he was the captain of John’s division, and was sent to Afghanistan before John was. He was on his fifth tour already and back to Brunei to train his new squad. Then they went to Afghanistan and John was sent there for another eleven weeks. That Christmas was spent apart, much like their fourth anniversary; somehow, John was home by New Year’s Eve; keeping his promise to Sherlock to spend it together every year.

During New Year’s Eve they had set a date for their marriage; after much arguing, a pouting Sherlock and an annoyed John; set the date to September 4th, a year after John’s graduation and before his new tour, right on the day they celebrated their anniversary. They called Violet and she had planned the whole wedding in less than an hour, almost the same way she did with Greg’s and Mycroft’s; though she was grateful that she had more time to execute this one.

A week after New Year’s Eve, John was sent to his second tour to Afghanistan; he was supposed to be stationed with US military forces and some Afghan forces too; he was sent scouting and had seen a few fellow soldiers die, some had died in his arms; it was hard for him, but Sherlock always managed to keep him sane and alive.

Sherlock on the other hand, was helping Greg at the yard with some cases, and trying to get a hold on Magnussen and Moriarty; sadly, all they could do was wait for them to make a move. The months flew by; Mary was more and more worried every day, she began to receive notes much similar to the ones Moriarty used to send, but these were all signed by CAM; Charles was on the move. At the same time, Sherlock started receiving weird texts saying things like “Come out and play”, “You know you want me” and “Come and get me”. The game was on.  

John came back after another eleven weeks, he had learned to shoot many guns, run operations and command a small group of soldiers; and was fairly trained as a field doctor. A few bullets were fired at them; nothing “too important” to John but the end of the life to Sherlock. During his second stance at Afghanistan, John was promoted to Lieutenant due to his medical training; and was appointed to the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, 5th Northumberland Division due to his previous training at Sandhurst. 

Back in London, Sherlock was getting more and more worried. John was supposed to return to Afghanistan by April; and be back by July, to get his degree and be gone again. He was safe, supposedly, away from Moriarty, but at the same time, he was in war zones, and could be hurt any way.

Magnussen was acting out, apparently he was desperate to get Mary back; he knew all about Bill, and was sending threatening letters to Mary, telling her that he had a friend in the army, and that “friendly fire” could always be used as an excuse to have both his beloved doctors killed in the same night.

All letters were hand delivered, always, signed the same way “Yours truly, CAM”. Sherlock was on to him, a few “birds” had spotted Magnussen a couple of times, he was becoming reckless and it was just a matter of time to get him; Moriarty, on the other hand, proved to be more difficult to catch, and the messages he left Sherlock were both scary and interesting.

He had sent him a couple of pictures of John back at Bastion; and a couple more at Kenya and Brunei; he had, indeed, someone on the inside. Fortunately, John was being watched by a hawk, not just a mere “bird”; Mycroft himself was in charge of safeguarding his brother in law.

A new name was brought to Sherlock’s attention; a guy that was always tailing John somehow; Captain Sebastian Moran; he was close to John all the time, and during every tour; he was one of the best marksmen the army had the privilege to call their own, but he showed clear signs of PTSD and an unhealthy obsession with John and Bill. Mycroft was the first to notice, and communicated his concern to Sherlock. In the end he put two and two together and knew that this guy was involved with Moriarty somehow; John was in danger no matter where he was.

The wedding was a year away, but the threats were getting worst with every passing day; so they decided to pretend they were getting married; They planned a fake wedding and leaked the invitations to the press, the “ceremony” was set to the day after John returned from his tour; John was told all about Moran, but Sherlock had told him not to change his demeanour towards him in any way, and to lie to him about the date of their real wedding. To the world, John Watson and Sherlock Holmes were to be married on July 21st; the day after John’s arrival to London.


	55. Two birds, one stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian and Jim clicked immediately; he visited Jim whenever he could and kept him company after Magnussen was sent to a different pavilion; Moran was crazier than Moriarty, and he helped him plan his escape. Magnussen will be used as a decoy, nothing more, and after he was re captured, they knew he was useless, his intelligence was wrongly used to force people to kill themselves, and he had a violent temper that usually won the best of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By this chapter, Sholto had been serving for about eight years, that’s why he was promoted to Major, he’s four years older than John, and as you may recall, he was the captain of John’s rugby team when he was younger, when John had to move, James had already finished school and joined the army, so when John finished school, James was lieutenant, and by the time John joined the army he was captain already. It's been five years since the story began...
> 
> BTW I wanted to get rid of Charles and Jim quickly… sorry

A fake wedding was set, fake invitations were sent a couple months before, especially to the press; all was planned. The day of the fake wedding, they all arrived to the hired venue; a hotel near Baker St. and faked the entire ceremony; they just sat there for a couple of hours, pretending; when all hell got loose.

The hotel manager received a threatening call, telling him that the hotel was full of explosives and that he had to get the grooms out the door immediately. He did as told. Mycroft and Greg were ready; birds and eyes everywhere; John and Sherlock had; just in case; bullet-proof vests under their suits and a bomb squad ready to get everyone out of the building.

A bomb did explode in front of them as they were heading out the hotel; a lot of notes with “I.O.U” written on them floated all over, and a crazed Charles was standing in front of them with a gun. He shot Sherlock, because he was standing right in front of Mary; but before he could pull the trigger again, a bullet from out of nowhere hit him in the head.

All panicked and John, being the doctor he was, jumped right next to Sherlock, and the soldier in him made him cover his body with his, completely forgetting that he was wearing a vest. Mycroft decided that they should keep the charade, not letting Moriarty know that Sherlock wasn’t hurt, and called a couple of ambulances, one for Charles and one for Sherlock. Once in the ambulance, a press release was sent, Sherlock Holmes was gravely injured.

Once in the hospital, the news were that he was in a coma, that he might not make it through the night and other stuff; when everything was cleared, Sherlock left Bart’s and was back in Baker St. with John, both safe; for the time being. The curtains were to remain closed at all times, they were unable to leave no matter what.

The next day, the news was that Sherlock was dying, that the injury had affected his heart and that only a miracle might save him. Charles body was used as a decoy at Sherlock’s hospital room; now all they had to was wait; James always gloated on his works and it was only a matter of time before he went to make sure that Sherlock was on that hospital bed.

Sebastian was scouting the grounds for him; they had met shortly after Magnussen was arrested, because Charles had met him while finding about military life; not to enrol, but to find ways to follow John and make sure that he wasn’t pretending to be with Sherlock just to steal Mary away from him; his paranoia was getting worse with each passing day. 

Sebastian and Jim clicked immediately; he visited Jim whenever he could and kept him company after Magnussen was sent to a different pavilion; Moran was crazier than Moriarty, and he helped him plan his escape. Magnussen will be used as a decoy, nothing more, and after he was re captured, they knew he was useless, his intelligence was wrongly used to force people to kill themselves, and he had a violent temper that usually won the best of him.

Jim had helped Sebastian with his PTSD, he was a nice distraction to Sebastian, and Jim was sure that with a little talk, he could convince him to help him kill John Watson and Sherlock Holmes. His mind games worked perfectly and soon, Sebastian was helping him plan how to kill them both. The night Jim escaped, Sebastian was there to help him; he killed the guards rapidly and helped Jim out of jail during the nightly hour he had outside his cell. 

He helped him hide at his own place and developed a friendly relationship with him; something similar to what John and Mary had. He helped Magnussen too, he was much needed because he knew the targets, and he was able to identify people’s weaknesses very effectively and knew how to use them to their advantage. Scaring Mary was easier than scaring Sherlock; she was most vulnerable; so they decided to psych her out first.

Moran followed John like a shadow; he was everywhere John was, snapping pictures and following him around Sandhurst. He was lucky enough to be sent to the same missions; and it was much easier to get the pictures he needed of John and Bill. After a few months of intelligence work; they were ready to attack, and they got a date to it; the day of John and Sherlock’s wedding.

Unfortunately; the plan went all wrong because Charles couldn’t be controlled, he had to shot him in the head after he shot Sherlock; since he was standing right in front of him he had to blow his head off before killing the couple; to Moran’s dismay, Sherlock was on the floor and John was on top of him, and too many people were surrounding them, and then the fucking ambulances arrived and he couldn’t see in which one Sherlock was.   

He ran down to find Moriarty sitting on the street, in front of the now empty hotel; the plan had failed, and now they had to find a way to definitely kill Sherlock Holmes. The next day the papers were filled with reports about Sherlock Holmes’ condition; his room number and other details that the always eager press wanted to share. They planned and planned again and again on how to do it. They were certain that they might be able to kill two birds with one stone, taking advantage of the fact that John would be with Sherlock during the night.

Just in case, Sebastian gave Jim his spare gun; and helped him get into “Sherlock’s” hospital room; his head was covered with bandages and many tubes were all over his body; he was almost unrecognizable in the dark, but the tube on his chest, where the bullet had entered, confirmed what Jim thought, this was Sherlock Holmes. He was alone; they watched a very defeated John leave the hospital to “change” off of his wedding suit       

All was planned, and three nights after the shooting, an already very dead Magnussen coded because of a shoot to his heart; and a very happy Moriarty sat on his bed, laughing madly, crying madly, and screaming “I finally killed Sherlock Holmes”. He sat there, waiting for the police to come and arrest him, when he realized that he had outlived his greatest enemy, and that there was nothing left for him to do. Killing John wouldn’t be as fun as killing Sherlock, and in the end, it was too damn easy. He was about to shot himself when the door flung open; he tried to point the gun unsuccessfully but it was too late for him.  

The second Greg entered the room, followed by a very alive Sherlock Holmes; the bullet that Greg put through his brain gave him one last glimpse of his worst mistake ever; he never made sure that Sherlock was actually lying on that bed… He just believed he was… Regrettably, Sebastian was still on the loose, and being the guard dog he was, they weren’t safe at all; Sherlock might need to hide again, only to save John’s life.

The Moran hunt was on. And maybe, the only way to get to him was to pretend nothing had happened. That Sherlock was lying on a hospital bed; and that John was on leave to stay with his dying husband; and that Moriarty was sent to jail again for the attempted murder of one Sherlock Holmes.

When the news were out; Sebastian Moran left the country and went back to Afghanistan; Mycroft was notified by the Army that Captain Sebastian Moran had arrived to Bastion and was under the orders of the recently appointed Major James Sholto, preparing for a scouting mission.

Sherlock “made” a miraculous recovery and was sent home to his husband. The news travelled like fire over dry hay, but Moran couldn’t leave, he was being watched all the time, he had to finish his mission on Afghan lands. James Sholto made sure that he was watched all the time, he watched Moran like a hawk to its prey.

Sebastian was deranged, his PTSD was acting out, and he could only feel satisfaction by killing people, he was put under arrest and his military career was over; however, Mycroft made sure that he wasn’t released until after John and Sherlock were married and John was under surveillance all the time. They didn’t have enough proof that he was involved in the murder of Charles Magnussen.

He was being held at Bastion facilities and was to be sent to London as soon as Mycroft cleared them to do so; unfortunately, Moran had managed to kill one the guards that were watching him and fled the camp, and was nowhere to be found. The day after he graduated as a doctor, John returned to Afghanistan for another eleven weeks, Mycroft watched over him all the eleven weeks and made sure he was home for Christmas and back with Sherlock.


	56. Dangerous missions and the attack on a VIP

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With John, Sherlock was bearable, sweet even, and Mummy was happy; Mycroft loved his mother and seeing her happy was everything to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dr Watson in a little bit of action

Since John was already a doctor, his services were required more often than Sherlock would please, and he had to stay at Afghan lands for about eleven months; barely coming back to London; he had a leave of absence for his wedding and honeymoon, but that was it. Of course he’ll be back every eleven weeks, unless he was needed there, but the eleven months were a go.

He left right after New Year’s Eve; he knew that he could be with Sherlock during this especial holiday because of Mycroft, and was more than grateful to him; he always sent a message to him, thanking him for all the help and for the chance to be able to spend the day with Sherlock, as promised.

The first couple of months were relatively easy; he was used to the hot days and the cold nights already, but now he had more responsibilities; after he obtained his certificate as a doctor, he was promoted to Captain, and had to train new recruits, give orders, command a troop, sent them to missions, and be on medical duty. He had seen young men bleed to death and had spent many sleepless nights wishing he was home snuggling Sherlock.

He made a couple of friends, men that were part of his team; they often teased him with Sholto for their closeness, but he had explained, _ad nauseam_ , that what they had was a friendship that had begun almost ten years ago; James had met Sherlock; and if ever James was attracted to John, or vice versa, it had been so many years ago, when John was nothing but a confused kid and James was his rugby captain; then he had met a fellow rugby player and had fallen for him but he left to London and that was it.

They had also teased him with Murray, because they were often seen whispering about, but it all was because they shared a flat, and their bunks were next to one another. They had become very good friends, they were more like brothers. A couple of times a young soldier that was infatuated with John had made a move during a lazy night but he had shown him his ring and said “Sorry mate, married”

He talked to everyone once a week, from Sherlock to Mary, his parents were always excited to see him and his in-laws too, all his conversations always ended with him asking people to keep an eye on Sherlock. When the weekly time to speak came, John would listen to Sherlock complaint about all the visits he’d received over the week, and the amount of cases Greg had given him “as if he wanted to keep me busy or something whit dull fives and sixes”

John would chuckle and send kisses. Sherlock would call him cheesy but will return every kiss. Many times Murray will be there teasing them and Sholto will come to say hi to Sherlock and promise to keep John safe. John’s life was interesting during his army years, but he had seen more pain and sorrow the last three years that he had seen during his entire life.

John had to go to the field several times, he was called out of camp often to check on the injured; he was getting too used to having bullets fly over his head and to have kids dying in his arms; but one night, after talking to Sherlock, he had to go on a night mission, and all he could see was Sherlock everywhere; a really young boy, an American, was shot in the head and fell in front of John, his helmet fell and he looked strikingly like Sherlock, or so John thought.

They carried the body to the base camp and he could see that the boy didn’t really looked like Sherlock but that he was a kid, barely eighteen, and now he lay dead in front of him; he wasn’t the first, but he wasn’t the last either. Another time, he arrived by helicopter to one of the camps, he had kept the soldier alive, he probably was his own age, he did all he could but then he died during the night, even after all he had done.

But not everything was sad; he had saved many lives, and commanded many successful raids and missions. As the year before, they were away for their anniversary; Sherlock sulked the whole day, but they managed to skype for a while before John had to go to attend yet another emergency; he called Sherlock back and they talked until Major Sholto called them for a briefing

They were told that a VIP was arriving, and that he was to be kept safe and in the dark at all times; a couple of days later the VIP had arrived and was sharing with all of them nights and games. The other side had found out about the VIP arrival and Bastion was attacked; since John was there that night, and not on a scouting mission; he had to help with the injured and the dead, a couple of American soldiers died that night. The next day a frantic Sherlock called him on an especial line to make sure that John was alive and well; Mycroft’s doing off course. With John, Sherlock was bearable, sweet even, and Mummy was happy; Mycroft loved his mother and seeing her happy was everything to him.

Soon the eleven months were over, and John could go home to Sherlock, he was excited to be with him, to share another Christmas together and their date on New Year’s Eve; the second one at 221 B, just the two of them. But as usual, after their date, John had gone back to Afghanistan, and had to be there for a long period of time, almost seven months away from home; they were supposed to be training Afghan forces.

During that time, Sherlock had gone mad; he was smoking like crazy and fighting the urge to use. He was irritable, unbearable. Their friends tried all they could to keep him sane, but he was angry, mad, and sulked often. Mary would check on him every afternoon after work, and Greg would call him every other day with cold cases and mostly fours, playing dumb only to have Sherlock occupied. Molly gave him interesting bodies to study and Mike got him a skull to replace the one Mrs. Hudson took away. The only thing that took some of the edge of his boredom was using John’s bike to move around the city; he had sold his car, not that he needed the money, his trust fund was available to him since he turned eighteen; but the bike was easier to keep and it sure made easier going through the busy streets of London during rush hour.

Mycroft had sent him to France, Italy, Spain, even Russia; and other countries to help him solve some international issues, he had learnt Italian and Spanish, some German and Russian too; he felt free, but his freedom had a cost, he had to travel with a bird; that will tell Mycroft if he ever did a wrong move; although he had enough will, and mostly, enough love for John, to stay clean.

He had also talked to Harry and had invited her to the wedding; but her and Clara where having some problems, and she was back on rehab, though Sherlock knew that was useless; as John had said to him all those years ago; Harry didn’t have enough will, nor enough love for Clara, to stay clean.

He started a blog “The science of deduction” through it he had managed to get some clients and solve some crimes outside the yard, he had found cheating husbands and wives, “lost” siblings and lovers; and other “dull” stuff that kept “normal” people from sleeping and being happy.

Soon it was time for their wedding, and John would be back home, He had waited for so long to be with John again, this time there were no breaks between tours, John had to serve, and Sherlock had supported him as much as he could, but he was going mad, his need for John was too much to bare.    

His mother had sent the invitations, it was going to be a private ceremony, but they could finally be legally married; not that they needed a document saying so, but it was nice to be recognized as partners in more than crime.


	57. Reserve the date.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a wedding!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The day has come!!!

I don't know how to upload the frigging images, so here... Check them out!

 

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	58. Stag nights, no pretty ladies…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week before the wedding, Greg had managed to convince John to have a stag party; they went to a pub with Bill, Greg, Mike, James and his rugby mates. By the time he went back to their flat, John was too drunk to even make it up the stairs. A very drunk Greg; and a drunker Bill helped him up the stairs; then, the three of them collapsed on different places and the next morning they were a very sad sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock is pissed off!

A week before the wedding, Greg had managed to convince John to have a stag party; they went to a pub with Bill, Greg, Mike, James and his rugby mates. By the time he went back to their flat, John was too drunk to even make it up the stairs. A very drunk Greg; and a drunker Bill helped him up the stairs; then, the three of them collapsed on different places and the next morning they were a very sad sight.

Sherlock was invited by his parents to a dinner, and was convinced by them to stay at the estate. Mycroft was there, clearly angry at Greg, he wasn’t answering his phone, nor was John. Both Holmes brothers stayed up that night waiting for their respective halves to give any signs of life.  The next morning, when they arrived to Baker St., doors flung open, heads throbbed with pain, and a lot of yelling should be on their way.

Mary was the first, she had grabbed Bill by the ear and had literally kicked his arse down the stairs; the scolding lasted all the way to Mary’s flat and a very sorry Bill had to apologise to her profusely. At 221 B; John was waiting for Sherlock’s reaction, but he just locked himself up in their bedroom, and Greg was given the silence treatment all the way down to the yard.

That night, for the first time ever, John had to sleep alone on the couch. Sherlock wasn’t just mad, he was worried; they weren’t on the clear yet, Moran was loose cannon; and John was acting like a reckless jerk; besides, who said that he was the only “stag” getting married? By all means a “stag” night is for the groom to be and they were both the groom in this freaking wedding! Who the hell does John Watson think he is?

John had begged Sherlock for an answer the whole afternoon and at some point he left the flat for a walk and some food. When he returned he immediately regretted not telling Sherlock he was leaving; a pillow and a sheet were on the sofa and the room to their bedroom was locked.

He sat on the other side of their door and talked to Sherlock for over two hours, no answer; he even wondered if Sherlock was there. The last thing John said to Sherlock was “you selfish prick” and went to the sofa. This wasn’t at all how he planned to spend the week before his wedding; of course he could go to his parents’ house, but that wasn’t the point, why was Sherlock acting out? He just had HIS “stag” night with his friends; he deserved one, didn’t he? He needed to blow some steam, the whole business with the war, and Moran on the loose, he NEEDED to go out and have a normal night with his friends… his friends…

He tossed and turned for a couple of hours and knew that he wouldn’t be able to sleep; Sherlock was so close to him and not sleeping next to him was absurd, on the other hand he just went out, it was just a night out, his night out, his stag night out with some friends, almost all of his friends… Sherlock is his friend… his best friend, and he wasn’t there in what should have been THEIR stag night… He was the selfish prick.

He went to the door to their room, it still was locked, he sat there at one in the morning and apologised to Sherlock, it was the least he could do, he knew that Sherlock would be listening, and he hoped that at some point he would open the door; he sat there for a while and then went back to the sofa, there was nothing left to do but wait, and apologise again as soon as Sherlock was out that door.

Around three in the morning, a sleepless Sherlock left the room and went to the living room; he picked his violin and began to play John’s song. John was awake, and he listened to the violin notes. Did it mean he was forgiven? Did it mean he could sleep with his fiancé on the same bed? Or was Sherlock still mad at him? He was right to be mad, of course he was.

Sherlock was facing the window and looking down the street, the soft notes of John’s song flying everywhere. John moved slowly out of the sofa, the notes faltered and he stood still, barely breathing; the violin began again, this time the notes went faster, but Sherlock didn’t turn. He moved closer and snaked his arms to trap Sherlock in a hug.

“I’m sorry love” He muttered kissing Sherlock’s back

The violin kept on playing, Sherlock didn’t move, but John could hear his heart beating faster.

“Want to celebrate your stag night with me?”  He moved his hands to Sherlock’s hips

Sherlock kept playing, not one word, but he leaned into John’s touch, almost imperceptibly

“We can have a couple of beers, dance a little maybe?” John whispered on Sherlock’s neck

Sherlock stopped playing, John sure knew how to tease him, but he controlled himself, this wasn’t going to be that easy for Dr Watson, he’ll have to make sure that he understood what he did wrong; besides, he was always scolding Sherlock for his lack of social interest, he always called him “impolite”, and all he did was almost always “a bit not good”. He began to play again, as if nothing was happening

John went to the kitchen and grabbed a six pack he had on the fridge, a memory of last night; he put the beers on the coffee table and was browsing on his laptop; he knew the exact song that would call Sherlock’s attention. The first notes to “Thinking out loud” by Ed Sheeran began to play, at this; Sherlock stopped playing and finally turned around. John was standing in the middle of the room, stark naked and his arms stretched out to Sherlock.

Sherlock didn’t move, he had to hold it a little longer, he had to resist, a little longer, but he couldn’t stay mad at John for too long, somehow he always managed to get the best of Sherlock. John walked over to Sherlock and hugged him; placing soft kisses along his jaw and neck.

Sherlock closed his eyes and John began to sway with the music, his hands caressing Sherlock’s back and neck and curls. His body pressed tightly against Sherlock’s. His mouth travelled from his neck to his chest, his hands opened Sherlock’s blue silk dressing gown; luckily, for John, he was naked under it.  

“This is the best stag night ever” He said between kisses “I can’t believe I get to spend it with my best friend, just the two of us” He moved his hands to Sherlock’s arse.

Sherlock tried to control his body, but it was almost impossible, the ever growing erection between his legs was all the proof John needed to keep teasing him. His tongue travelled all the way from his earlobe to his nipple. Sherlock couldn’t breathe; he knew it was a bad idea to come out to the living room. Of course he had forgiven John, but he had the right to be a little angry

“You know what I like most about fights?” John licked the hardened nipple “All the makeup sex you can have after” He was teasing Sherlock’s entrance, ever so slowly, maybe a few more tries and he’ll get at least a moan.

Sherlock didn’t move, his eyes were closed, it was taking all his strength not to push John down to the sofa and have him right then and there. He had his hands clenched into fists at his sides. For once; he wasn’t going to beg John… But it was too hard… He felt one of John’s finger slip right behind him, he was too aroused to even try and think properly, but he had to fight the urge, at least for a couple more minutes. John’s hands were warm, they ran over well-known places and Sherlock felt his knees falter.

John kneeled in front of Sherlock, his now very expert mouth close to Sherlock’s inner thigh. His tongue moved from one hip to the other, drawing a line across the sensitive skin. Sherlock bit his lips; he wasn’t going to give in. John’s mouth engulfed him; his tongue teased his shaft and rolled over the tip; while his fingers thrusted madly inside of him.

It was too much! Sherlock pushed John away, now it was John’s turn to be surprised. A feral need consumed Sherlock and he pushed John to the sofa, as always, he kept some lube hidden in his chair for… emergencies… such as this one. He moved over to John and squirted some lube on his fingers and his engorged erection. John’s eyes were wide open, he had seen Sherlock act this way before, but the mixture between anger and want was more than John could resist.

Sherlock turned him and kneeled behind him, with his free hand he squirted a large amount of lube on John’s entrance and played for a few seconds with his fingers before pushing in.  John quivered, a loud cry escaped his lips; but he wasn’t in pain, he was too aroused to be in pain. John moved his hand to stroke himself but Sherlock stopped him, he trapped both John’s hand in his, with strength unknown to John. He thrusted hard and fast, reaching John’s prostate every time.

He felt John was coming and slipped out; letting John’s hands go and turning his back to him. He went to their room, without saying a word; this time the door remained open; it was up to John to take the next step. John was befuddled; he was supposed to tease Sherlock not the other way! This had to be settled somehow. He went to the room and closed the door with a thud

“What the hell Sherlock?”

“Missing the fun?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not the only one allowed to have fun you know?”

“What?”

“You feel the need to keep on having fun, don’t you?”

“I thought WE were having fun”

“Yeah YOU were” ‘On YOUR stag night’ Sherlock thought “You want to keep going right?”

“Of course I do, Sherlock, I enjoy having sex with you”

“And WE should have fun together, right?”

“Yes Sherlock, it should be fun for the two of us”

“And how did you feel when I left you with your need for me to keep going, to keep enjoying?”

“Empty. And missing you”

“Well, there you have it. That’s how I felt last night, you were having all the fun and I was at dinner with my family”

“I’m sorry love. Could you please forgive me?”

“It’s not a matter of forgiveness, John. If there was any offence, it was already forgiven. It’s a matter of respect. You ask to be respected by me all the time, you even ask from me to respect every other person and I try, I do. Sometimes it takes all of me not to yell at those idiots at the yard, but I remember you and try my hardest to act respectful, social even. You on the other hand, left with YOUR friends, had YOUR night out, came here, drunk as a tankard, didn’t call all night, and I found you here with all your mates, the house a freaking mess, and above all, you had the nerve to call me selfish?”

John couldn’t answer, the worst part was that Sherlock was right, he always was pointing out Sherlock’s “worst” defects, while Sherlock was always praising him. Sure, John would describe him as “amazing”, “brilliant”, “incredible”, but would scold him equally, and maybe even more that he usually praised him. He felt guilty and selfish, he didn’t even thought about Sherlock and his feelings; all he wanted was to have fun

“You can go out with your friends whenever you like, I’m not going to act like a jealous git. I trust you, and I love you; but it would be nice to be asked to go with once in a while, to have that demonstration of respect from you. I’m not going to spoil your nights out with your friends. Yes I’m needy, yes I’m selfish, yes I want to be around you all the time; but I do respect you John, I have respected every choice you’ve ever made, I’ve supported you in every way, I do as you wish always; and sometimes, sometimes, I want a little bit of the same”

“I’m sorry love, you’re right. I’m so very sorry. You should have been there with me, I should have asked”

Sherlock stretched his hand to John and pulled him to the bed. He held him close and kissed him. John was lost for words again, all he could do was held the man that was to be his husband and enjoy his time with him.      


	59. We do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night before the wedding, John and Sherlock were forced to spend the night apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!

The night before the wedding, John and Sherlock were forced to spend the night apart.

“This is ridiculous” Sherlock complained to his mother. “I’m not a blushing bride!”

“I know busy bee” Violet tried “But its tradition, remember? Your brother did the same!”

“I’m not Mycroft!” Sherlock couldn’t believe it. He was a room away from John, but was watched like a hawk by his brother; and Greg was with John.

“It’s one night” Violet scolded “Besides” She continued “From tomorrow you’ll be together for life!”

“Fine” Sherlock pouted reaching for a ring-less finger

“Now rest love! You have a big day tomorrow”

John was on his room and Greg was certainly annoying, all he wanted was to be with Sherlock

“I’m not the bride” He pouted

“Son, please!” Lia scolded John “It’s a Holmes family tradition and you have to respect it!”

“But you took away my phone!”

“I hear you mate, my mum did the same the night before my wedding too. But I must admit I wasn’t as desperate as you are”

“For Christ sake Greg! I’m not desperate!” John shouted feeling his naked ring finger

“Right mate… Maybe you should try and sleep”

“Ugh, fine…” He rolled his eyes and reached again for his ring, but he didn’t have it. It was the first time in over five years that they didn’t have their rings; Violet had sent them to be cleaned, polished and engraved with the date of their marriage, from tomorrow they’ll never have to remove them again.

The next day, they left separately to Kensington; their suits arrived shortly after. They had chosen to wear matching black cotton/silk Anderson and Sheppard’s bespoke tailcoats and trousers, with white crisp shirts, but their accessories were different. John had chosen a sapphire silk waistcoat matching tie and pocket silk. His cufflinks were costume made with tungsten and a silver caduceus on it. Sherlock on the other hand chose a  dark purple waistcoat and matching accessories and his cufflinks were the same as John’s but his had golden bees on it. Their boutonnieres were a couple of bees that John had ordered for their wedding.        

The venue was beautiful. Violet had hired the whole place in order to avoid prying eyes and further problems. The Orangery and the Orangery Lawns where decorated equally. The ceremony was to be held at the Lawns and the reception at The Orangery. A table was set at the main entrance of The Orangery, and the whole path was decorated with white and blue and purple tinted rose petals and the table was dressed with an ivory cloth with sapphire and dark purple organza ribbons tying it up.     

A couple dozen chairs sat on each side of the table, dressed in the same fashion as the table, ivory white slipcovers and alternated dark purple and sapphire organza ties. On the inside, the tables and chairs were all dressed the same way; a few tables filled the interior of The Orangery, dressed as elegantly as the small “altar” table outside. But instead of ribbons, the ivory cloths were adorned with almost imperceptible blue and purple swirls. The centrepieces were made with white, blue and purple orchids inside a crystal box. The ivory plates and the silver cutlery completed the tables with crystal glasses.

For the music, Violet hired the same musicians that performed at Mycroft’s wedding; a piano soloist accompanied by a string quartet, and the same DJ. The ceremony music was Mozart’s Piano Concerto N° 21 second movement. Sherlock himself had chosen the concerto, remembering their first New Year’s Eve, and for their first dance, John had chosen “You’ve chosen me” by Zucchero, the words summing up their feeling for each other.

They stood up in front of their families and friends, in spite of the rather large venue, there were less than fifty invitees; their parents and their friends, it was a very intimate ceremony, very different from Mycroft and Greg’s all those years back. The ceremony began at British time, 7 o’clock sharp. The grooms decided to recite their own vows to each other before the officiant recited the usual ones.

A week before the ceremony, they tossed a coin to decide who will go first, against all odds (yeah right…), Sherlock “lost” and had to go first, he walked down the path accompanied by his mother, and his father was to be his best man; John walked accompanied by his mother, and as to return the favour he asked Greg to be his best man, but in the end he declined and Hamish was made best man.

Once in front of the officiant, John and Sherlock looked at each other and locked gazes, they had to make a huge effort to pay attention to whatever the officiant was saying. When the time came, Sherlock’s voice came out strong but soft, almost only to John’s ears.

“John, before I met you, my life was chaotic, to say the least. Everything was dark, people were just plain stupid, and life was utterly boring. For me, sentiment was a nuisance, caring a disadvantage, and love, something you could only find on the losing side. But from the moment I first saw you everything changed, I found a new meaning to life, your eyes brought light to my life, your arms built a home for me, and your soul; your magnificent, beautiful, kind and loving soul, turned into a haven for my restless and agitated life. There aren’t enough words to describe how, or how much I love you. You give me peace of mind and a place to call home, you always find in your heart a way to forgive my many flaws, and all I can hope is that I am man enough to reciprocate your love, or to be, at very least, man enough to keep you by my side. You’re the life of me John Watson; and I’m proud that today I become your husband”

Sherlock finished, he kept on watching John directly in the eyes; holding his hands. His voice didn’t faltered, he spoke clearly and softly, with that intonation that jolted John, sending shivers down his spine. He was lost for words, he never imagined Sherlock could have phrased his love in such a beautiful way; he felt tears streaming down his cheeks, his knees faltered and he could barely breath. He felt Sherlock’s hand on his cheek and leaned to the touch, feeling slightly calmer. He cleared his throat.

“Sherlock, I don’t even remember how my life was before I met you; I never imagined I’ll ever met the love of my life, and never could have foreseen meeting him so early in my life. You have filled my life with thrill and adventure, every day with you is a day filled with exciting new things, new discoveries; every day I fall more and more in love with you, and I really don’t know what I did to make you fall in love with me. Whenever I see you I feel life run through my body, I feel the air enter and leave my lungs, the blood flowing though my veins, and my heart beating in my ears. I can hardly describe how I love you, because all I can feel is love ever since I first saw you; and today, I’m the luckiest man on earth because today I become your husband”

John finished and licked his lips; Sherlock was looking at him with those eyes that made him feel loved and happy and naked, all at once. He felt the urge to kiss him, to hold him close and never let go; he couldn’t believe they were minutes away of becoming husbands. They could hear a few sobs, both her mothers were crying softly, Mary and Molly were whipping their eyes and people were silently looking at them. The officiant had them repeat the usual vows and the moment when they were asked if they took each other they eagerly answered “I do”. They finally exchanged their rings, feeling whole again, and their kiss was chaste but filled with meaning.

After the ceremony they partied for a while; they shared their first dance and forgot about the world around them. They barely listened to the toasts and congratulations. Hamish was all teary and flushed, he could barely speak when he talked about “his sons”, whilst Siger tried to keep his composure after congratulating “his sons”.

After the cake and the food and all the silly wedding traditions were over; they ran to the limousine and left the party, they shared kisses and soft touches until they were at their home. They decided to spend their first night as a married couple at 221 B and leave the next day to their honeymoon. They made love all night, like they always did, but this time it felt different, and somehow more meaningful.


	60. French Honeymoon (Sex holiday John!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock’s voice was so damn seducing; that the lady looked at Sherlock with hungry eyes, and a flirty smile, not even giving John as much as a second look. She handed him a registry form, her eyes always locked on Sherlock’s face; but Sherlock returned it pointing at him and saying something unintelligible that John couldn’t make for; her eyes faltered and looked to John and smiled at him, a slight blush crept up her cheeks and immediately looked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sweet honeymoon! (And NO, you can't correct ME! Sherlock!)

Sherlock wanted to spend their honeymoon at Paris; and the next day they arrived at “the City of Light” by noon. The hotel was wonderful; Sherlock’s parents had booked them a suit at the Hôtel du Louvre and from there they could oversee Paris’ landmarks. They had a whole week there before having to go back to London, and before having to say goodbye again. John was called to Afghanistan for a second long tour, and now that he had graduated, his services were required for longer periods of time.  

As soon as they arrived to the hotel, John was lost in love again; Sherlock’s voice was enchanting, his chocolaty-silky tone made him shiver all the time, but hearing his husband speaking French was a new found stimulant that travelled directly to his groin, and manifested itself quite rapidly, making him shuffle his travel bag to the front of his body and shifting uncomfortably at the front desk under the amused eyes of a rather indiscrete French lady.

Sherlock’s voice was so damn seducing; that the lady looked at Sherlock with hungry eyes, and a flirty smile, not even giving John as much as a second look. She handed him a registry form, her eyes always locked on Sherlock’s face; but Sherlock returned it pointing at him and saying something unintelligible that John couldn’t make for; her eyes faltered and looked to John and smiled at him, a slight blush crept up her cheeks and immediately looked away.

They got two cards for their room and were ushered to the top floor by a really young bellboy that looked at them all the time as if they were infected with something dangerous and utterly contagious. Sherlock spoke again, this time with a grave tone; and the bellboy just looked down to his feet muttering something that seemed like and apology. Before he could ask Sherlock, he just turned and kissed him deeply, squeezing his hand and kissing their intertwined fingers. They left the lift and went through the hall to their room. The bellboy just bowed slightly and left them without waiting for a tip.

When they entered the suite, John was absolutely amazed; it was almost as big as 221 B and had a wonderful view of Paris, he was so lucky to be there, and even luckier to be there with Sherlock. Sherlock on the other hand, wasn’t as amazed, he had been in Paris several times now, but this was their first time together here, and he was mesmerized by the look in John’s eyes. He went to hug him; he couldn’t believe he was there with John.

As unlikely as it may seem, instead of running to the closest bed; Sherlock had the whole trip planned, he wanted to show John the city, and of course he wanted to show off John. He had bought tickets online to the main attractions, and he knew that John would enjoy them. The first stop was the Louvre.

Before they went to the museum they shared a rather fast lunch while walking to the museum. Sherlock had bought six day passes for them, so they could visit any museum at any time, without waiting in line. As soon as they entered, they went directly to look for the Mona Lisa, and shared a kiss in front of her. After that Sherlock dragged John trough the Egyptian and Greek wings, explaining every little detail of the paintings and sculptures to John. 

After the Louvre, they went to a café and ended up at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. John was so excited and Sherlock obliged, he took him all the way up, and again, kissed at the top of the tower. John wasn’t surprised that Sherlock had tickets to the tower too, but what surprised him was that he had tickets for the day they’d arrived. Sherlock sure knew John. They could see the sun setting from the top, and John was feeling enamoured with the sight, not the view of the city, but the way the light reflected on Sherlock’s skin.

Sherlock was looking at John too; the childish excitement on his face when they first went to the museum was worth anything and the smile on John’s face when he saw the tower was just priceless. He could watch John smile every day. He felt the impulse to kiss him; and so he did, in the perfect moment, just as the sun was setting down. They shared a nice dinner at one of the many restaurants they found while walking back to the hotel.

As soon as they were at their room, John couldn’t hold it anymore, he remembered fondly about their inner joke about Sherlock suffering “SJAS” and how the treatment should go. He decided to play a little, but for once, for the first time in many years, the urgency wasn’t there; there was just love; John realised they had all the time in the world to be together, and that this was one of many nights they’ll have to be with one another.

Sherlock was sitting at one of the sofas at the small living room, his eyes closed and his fingers steepled under his chin; he couldn’t stop thinking about John’s joyful smile and how his eyes travelled from one painting to the other, from one sculpture to the other, and how he gasped and gaped at every sight. He was just so beautiful, and Sherlock was so in love. He was committed to saving all John’s expression in his John room at his mind palace, that he barely felt John approach him.

He felt John’s warm hand on his shoulder and his lips touch his own with a soft peck. He opened his eyes and there was John, looking at him, with that smile that melted Sherlock’s brain and turned it into pudding.

“Would you french up?” John pocked his nose

“And how would I do that John?” Sherlock looked at him

“Speak French to me, please” John whispered close to Sherlock’s ear

He felt a shiver travel down his spine; he moved his hands to touch John’s face and cupped his cheek. He moved his mouth close to John, but instead of kissing him, he began speaking in French brushing slightly with every word John’s lips.

“Vous êtes l’homme le plus beau du monde. Je t’aime beaocup. Je veux embrasser, caresse, faire l’amour toute le nuit. Me rend fou, je suis très hereux d’être ici avec vous, mon beau mari” (You are the most handsome man in the world, I love you so much, I want to kiss you, and caress you, make love all night. You drive me mad, I’m so happy to be here with you my gorgeous husband) (Sorry for the mistakes, I’m just learning French)

John trembled, his knees faltered, and he couldn’t hold it anymore. He kissed Sherlock with a hunger unknown to both until now, but with no signs of urgency or desperation in his kisses. Sherlock broke the kiss and got off the sofa, he lead John back to the large bed that had been waiting for them the whole afternoon. He divested John while whispering sweet French words into John’s ear, while kissing his neck slowly.

Clothes flying, soft moans and pants escaping from their otherwise occupied mouths, hands traveling up and down opening buttons and pulling zippers down. Soon they were tumbling on to bed, never breaking the kiss. Sherlock was straddling John as he kept on kissing him everywhere he could, from his ears to his eyes, his fingers and wrists, feeling his pulse, watching his pupils dilate, missing momentarily the beautiful blue of John’s eyes.

John moved his hands all over Sherlock’s back, moving them up and down, until they found their homes, one at Sherlock’s hip and the other at Sherlock’s hair, he softly tugged Sherlock’s hair, enjoying the excited moan that left his lips; he knew exactly what to do to make Sherlock quiver and squirm with desire. He found his mouth again, and kissed him with all the love he was able to gather in one kiss. Sherlock shifted slightly and moved his hand under the pillow; he had their bottle of lube hidden under it already. John just smiled, it was so Sherlock.

Sherlock opened the bottle with a pop and squirted some lube in his fingers. He moved his hand under John and began moving his fingers slowly, while kissing John softly. He wanted to take his time, for once, they had time, they were alone, no Mrs. Hudson downstairs, no school, no army, no work; it wasn’t just a weekend, there was no Mycroft and no Greg, no Moran, no parents, no Mary or Bill; no one, just the two of them completely alone.

His fingers teased John’s entrance, slowly, feeling the muscle relax under his touch; he travelled all the way down to John’s inner thigh, kissing all the way down from his neck, nibbling and teasing the erect nipples and licking the sweat that was forming on John’s chest. ‘Honey and strawberries’ Sherlock thought, John tasted like honey and strawberries to Sherlock, and the flavour made him tremble.

He licked John’s shaft, and felt the twitch that John’s cock made when he licked the tip, he moved so slowly, barely teasing. He used his free hand and pushed a pillow under John’s; the movement made John thrust slightly and impale himself in Sherlock’s fingers that were making him writhe under his touch.

Sherlock removed his fingers and used his tongue to taste John, the mixture between John’s particular flavour and the strawberry lube he had brought made him hum and sigh after the first lick. He moved his lube covered hand over John’s cock, stroking softly and slowly, enjoying the sounds John made, his tongue darted inside John’s and he moved it in and out, fucking him with his tongue.

John couldn’t breathe; he managed to call Sherlock’s name but it was more a whimper than anything. Sherlock used his fingers again; John was wet and open, and expectant. Sherlock got some more lube and put it on his own cock, feeling the sticky soothing coldness of it relax his engorged cock. He pushed in, slowly, feeling how John opened up to him and received him in his warm wetness.

He didn’t move for several seconds, enjoying the overall feeling of John around him; always welcoming and loving. He moved his hands to John’s hips and manoeuvred them, so John was sitting on top of him. John embraced him with his leg and began to move on top of him, sliding up and down, at his own pace. The movements encompassed and as John moved down Sherlock thrusted up, finding each other halfway, always. John found the right spot, and began to move to hit his own prostate every time. Sherlock knew that this would last as long as John would want, so he let John find his own orgasm; he captured John’s hands on his own, and kissed him deeply.

John was coming hard between their bellies, and Sherlock followed shortly after. They shared lazy kisses and caresses, and soon, they were at it again, John riding Sherlock hard and Sherlock holding John during his next orgasms. They spent the whole night making love, kissing and caressing, talking sweet nonsenses to each other.


	61. Back to real life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time fled, and soon it was their last night in Paris. John was busying himself with the bags and passports; he wanted to take Sherlock to the lovelock bridge the next morning before they had to leave the hotel, and he didn’t wanted to be stalled by packing and checking on travel documents. He knew they couldn’t put a padlock on it, but he just wanted to take Sherlock there with him.

The time fled, and soon it was their last night in Paris. John was busying himself with the bags and passports; he wanted to take Sherlock to the lovelock bridge the next morning before they had to leave the hotel, and he didn’t wanted to be stalled by packing and checking on travel documents. He knew they couldn’t put a padlock on it, but he just wanted to take Sherlock there with him.

The next morning, right after breakfast, John took Sherlock to the bridge. He was really excited about it, his romantic side striking again and again during their holiday. Every moment was romantic, every moment deserved a picture and every moment meant something. He had taken pictures of them at every site they were, kissing pictures, holding pictures, any kind of picture available.

“Where are we going?” Sherlock asked to an apparently lost John

“You’ll see when we get there” Was John’s only answer

“But maybe if you tell me I can help us get there faster”

“Would you please let me be romantic?” John rolled his eyes

“It’s all I’ve been letting you be for the past week” Sherlock remarked

“You sure have no sense of romanticism, do you?” John looked at him

“I brought you to Paris didn’t I?”

“Yes, and now I want to take you some place romantic”

“We’ve been at several romantic places John!” Sherlock pouted

“We’ve been at museums and restaurants and parks, but those are not necessarily romantic places, we are the ones that turned them into romantic places”

“Then by all means our bed is the most romantic place in the world”

“For the love of God Sherlock!”

“What?”

“Just let me be romantic for once?”

 “As previously stated, you’ve been acting like a romantic the whole week”

“It’s my honeymoon, I have the right!”

“Sex holiday, John”

“No Sherlock, honeymoon, honeymoon, honeymoon, honeymoon. And I’ll repeat it until you get it in that thick head of yours, that this is our honeymoon, not a sex holiday! Honeymoon, honeymoon, honeymoon, honeymoon, honeymoon” John repeated incessantly

“Oh shut up John!” Sherlock pretended to be exasperated 

“Oi!” John looked at him annoyed

“What?” Sherlock rolled his eyes

“Don’t tell your husband that!”

“What?”

“To shut up” John was looking at him intently

“I love that word” Sherlock smiled

“Shut up?” John smiled wanting to hear Sherlock say it.

“That’s two words, John” Sherlock rolled his eyes again

“Shut?” John smirked

Sherlock sighed deeply, as if this wasn’t as amusing to him as it was to John

 “Then which word?” John kissed the tip of his nose

“Husband” Sherlock answered and kissed John deeply “By the way, husband, we’re at the bridge already”

They had walked all the way to the Pont de l’Archevêché (Bridge of the Archbishop) and were soon kissing on it. Sherlock loved that John was a romantic, because it meant more kissing and hand holding, and hugging. John was very physical, and Sherlock just loved it.

The next morning after they arrived, John left for a new mission in Afghanistan. They had to be apart for another eleven weeks, but Sherlock was used to it by now, at least this time, John will be home for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, before leaving again for another tour.

One afternoon, during a skype call, John was called to attend an emergency, and he had to cut the conversation short; he told Sherlock that he was worried because Sholto was on a scouting mission, and with Moran on the loose, anything could happen. He shared his bad feeling with his husband, saying goodbye rapidly and barely sending a kiss. Neither one could see the other caressing the screen.

Four days later, John was able to skype again; he had bad news about Sholto. He was training some new recruits and was surrounded by dissidents. The whole team died during the scouting mission that had turned into a raid, and Sholto was badly injured. Sherlock was glad that John wasn’t with them at the time, and was relieved that he had to stay at Bastion because of that emergency.   


	62. The metaphorical fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As soon as he saw the official sitting in his living room -Mrs Hudson had let him in- his heart flinched, he panicked and began hyperventilating.

Sherlock’s relief lasted very little; a week before John was supposed to come back, he received a visit from a JCCC officer. John had made him his EC right after they got married. He was coming back from the Yard, helping Greg with a five. He was sulking and felt under used, but this was better than staying at home, missing John every second. He went to visit John’s parents and had a nice lunch with them before Greg called him.

As soon as he saw the official sitting in his living room -Mrs Hudson had let him in- his heart flinched, he panicked and began hyperventilating. Thankfully Mrs. Hudson was there with him holding his hands. They sat on the sofa and even before the officer started talking he felt as if he was falling. He saw their entire life together passing by his eyes.

The officer spoke softly at first, he tried to calm Sherlock down but he wasn’t even listening to him. Sherlock’s eyes welled up and he kept on playing with the ring that hung from his neck. He put his hands to his head and sat there unable to do anything other than repeat John’s name.

The officer was very worried; he couldn’t deliver any news to non-family members, but Mrs. Hudson acted quickly and called Greg. She asked the officer to wait, and he did as asked, he was supposed to leave with the appointed EC. As soon as Greg arrived to Baker Street he went directly to Sherlock. He remembered when he went with Mycroft to Victor’s house; his first official crime scene…

Sherlock had the same face, vacant eyes, mind gone, but this time it was much worst, he didn’t even acknowledge that Greg was standing in front of him. Greg tried to grab him but Sherlock flinched and curled up on the sofa. A few minutes later, Mycroft entered the room, the sight of his baby brother broke his heart; he was in pain all over again.

“Mycroft Holmes” he extended his hand to the officer

“Lieutenant Rush” The soldier shook it

“I’m Mr. Holmes’ brother. Have you delivered the news?” He said knowingly, his birds knew all about it and he was aware of what had happened, he always kept an eye on both of them; that’s why as soon as he found out that an officer was sent to talk to Sherlock he knew he should be there for his brother, even if it meant that his brother might hate him for life, for not taking care of the one person that made his baby brother feel so alive. Unfortunately, Mycroft’s birds weren’t sure of the identity of the shooter.

“No sir. I wasn’t able, he almost fainted as soon as he saw me, and has been like that for the last half hour” The officer was visibly nervous

“Are the news bad?” He asked as to confirm the information he already had

“I’m sorry Sir; I’m not at liberty to say”

Mycroft went to the kitchen and made a phone call, he was gone less than a minute, and as he returned to the living room, the soldier’s phone began to ring. He just nodded to the phone as if the person on the other side could see him and hung up

“The news?” Mycroft asked again with a smirk on his face, Greg rolled his eyes

“Yes sir, sorry sir. Captain John Watson has been shot sir. He’s at the QEHB, he was just transported, as soon as he could be moved and I was sent to notify his EC as soon as we arrived”

“Is he alive?” Greg asked with concern

“Yes sir, just barely. He was shot in the leg first and then another shot to his shoulder. The shooter aimed for his head but he was kneeling behind a MV at the time of the shooting”

“Was it unfriendly fire?” Mycroft asked

“No sir, unfortunately he was shot by one of our own, actually… the shooter is one of our best marks men, perhaps better than Captain Watson…” At this Mycroft knew exactly who had shot John. He had suspected as much, his birds had filled him in already whit almost every detail. “How did it happen?” Now Greg was asking

“He was shot during a night raid” The officer continued “His team was ambushed during the raid; the Captain managed to keep his men safe, and as many civilians as possible. The first shot was directed to the Foxhound, to make it stop; it was a single shot and then all the dissidents began to shot at the vehicle and the assault team had to run to one of the houses” Greg listened with horror and Mycroft replayed in his memory what he already knew.

“The assault lasted almost an hour; it all seemed clear and Captain Watson gave the order to check the roofs. Captain Murray detected movement on one of the roofs but it was too late; Captain Watson was kneeling next to the Fox when he was shot. Captain Murray shot the shooter, he’s alive and we have him under custody”

“Where is the shooter?” Mycroft already knew, though for Sherlock’s sake it was important that he received the news from someone else besides his brother

“We brought him back with us sir, he’s considered dangerous and was sent to MCTC but he’ll be trialled as a civilian as soon as we find out how and why he did it”

“Is he under heavy surveillance?” Greg’s voice was angrier that he imagined

“Yes sir, he’s killed several officers, and endangered a mission and the life of a Major; he faces several years in prison for that”

“Good. I’ll see to it” Mycroft spat “are you to take my brother with you?”

“Yes sir, I was sent with express orders to take him to QEHB. A car is waiting for us and we should be arriving in about two hours, but I don’t think the gentleman would be able to accompany me.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it” Mycroft shook the officer’s hand “Thank you”

The officer just nodded and left 221 B. Mycroft sat next to Sherlock and began to talk to him; he used a soothing voice, trying to bring his brother out of this living nightmare. John was alive, and he needed Sherlock by his side.

“Sherlock, listen to me” Mycroft started “John is okay, he’s here in England and you have to go and see him”

Sherlock looked up, he studied Mycroft to see if he was lying, after Victor died, and he had those awful nightmares, Mycroft was there by his side, and sometimes he would say it was all a dream, so Sherlock could go back to sleep; he remembered Mycroft sitting next to his bed, lolling him back to sleep. It all came back to him in a second; and now, Mycroft was here telling the same lies.

“You’re lying to me” Sherlock croaked

“I’m not lying” Mycroft’s otherwise cold eyes turned to fire “John is at Birmingham and he needs you” Mycroft’s voice seemed calm but he was clearly angry

“Sherlock, please, we have to go” Greg stood in front of his husband, he knew him well enough to detect the hint of violence in his voice.

“Go where?” Sherlock spaced out again, as if he had deleted what Mycroft just said

“Out” was Mycroft’s only answer, he knew it was best to take Sherlock away from London, he had been in contact with his dealer during the Magnussen/Moriarty affair and he couldn’t risk leaving Sherlock alone and much less with him believing John was dead.

Greg forced Sherlock up to his feet and lead him down the stairs, finding a very worried Mrs. Hudson at the bottom of the stairs

“You should come with us” Greg consoled her.

“Please wait for a second” Mrs. Hudson pleaded “I’ll be right out

By the time they reached the door to the street, Mycroft was on his phone; he had called Anthea and asked her to send a car to pick John’s parents from their house, and his father from work. He looked over at Mrs. Hudson and just nodded, he knew she cared for John as much as everybody else.

“Mummy?” came Mycroft’s voice and a pause followed “It’s John, he’s at the Queen’s” (pause) “Yes, I’m here and so is Greg” (pause) “We’ll be there in twenty, please wait outside” (pause) “Don’t worry, I’ve sent a car for them” (pause) “Yes Mummy, I’ve sent another car for Dad” (pause) “Yes, please, do call Dad” (pause) “We’re nearly there, see you soon”

They pulled over at the Holmes estate and a very worried Violet climbed to the black sedan; she sat right next to Sherlock and Greg moved to the front seat to give the family more room. Sherlock was in shock, his eyes were empty, his breathing shallow; he was having a serious breakdown. No one talked during the two hours ride to Birmingham; Sherlock lay on his mother’s lap, feeling like a lost kid. He could only hope that his brother was telling the truth and that he wasn’t being taken to receive John’s body.  

As soon as they arrived Mycroft entered the hospital and asked for John’s room. He was just out of surgery, still in recovery; they had to wait for at least half hour more before he was sent to a room. While they were waiting John’s parents arrived to the hospital with Mary and Siger. All they could do now was to wait.

When Sherlock saw Mary and Bill enter the waiting room, he went over to her. They were good friends and she was always there for them. She hugged Sherlock tightly, drawing circles along his back, trying to convince him that John was going to be fine, that he was okay, that he was alive. Bill was a mess too, he had been close to John for the past five years and they were like brothers. To John, Bill was the brother he never had; and Bill had saved John’s life.

John’s parents were sitting next to Sherlock and they were comforting him too; Sherlock realised he wasn’t the only one worried about John and he tried to pull himself together, but it was an almost impossible task; it seemed as if the clock was going backwards and that the supposed half hour they had to wait was actually an eternity.

“Mr. Holmes?” The doctor called. The three Holmes men stood at the doctor’s call. “Mr. Sherlock Holmes?” The doctor clarified

“Yes?” Sherlock went over to the doctor

“You may see Captain Watson now” The whole room sighed with relief

“Which room?” Sherlock breathed finally

“I’ll take you there” He started to walk

“May we see him?” Hamish asked

“Sure, this way please”


	63. Just barely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘And you died on me, for minutes, but you died’

Sherlock and his in-laws followed the doctor to John’s room. He was hooked to several machines, but he was breathing on his own, that was always a good sign. He looked so frail and pale. According to the doctor he had lost a lot of blood, and the doctors at Bastion had done as much as they could; he was sent home as soon as he was cleared to be moved; a helicopter was waiting for him. He was alive, just barely

His shoulder was almost shattered by the bullet, and had suffered some nerve damage, they had to repair the suprascapular artery, thankfully, being a doctor; John had managed to stop the bleeding by pushing a finger inside his own shoulder. Fortunately it wasn’t as serious as it could have been; though he’d need a lot of physical therapy. The bullet to his leg just grazed the skin, but he might limp for a while because of the area the bullet went through. A few inches to the left and his knee could've been destroyed.

Sherlock was relieved to see him breathe; his chest movement was like some elixir of life to Sherlock. He approached the bed and stroked John’s face. His fingers lingered on his lips, and moved slowly to his hair, almost afraid to touch him fully, fearing he might disappear. Sherlock fell to his knees, his head rested on John’s good arm, his hands gripping the sheets. He cried silently, relief washing over him. His John was alive.

John’s parents approached the bed too and stood next to Sherlock; Lia stroked her son’s forehead and Hamish grabbed his hand, they too needed to see John breathe and feel his warmth. Lia was crying silently, she was thankful that her son was alive. Hamish hugged her wife for a long moment and then cleared his throat

“We’ll be right outside son” He said to Sherlock “Take care of him, please”

Sherlock just nodded, he will give his life in exchange of John’s; he’d take care of him for as long as he’d live. He pulled himself up the floor and sat on the chair next to John’s bed. He held his hand and caressed his knuckles with his thumb; as he had done many times when John was asleep, he kissed his hand and each finger, moving John’s hand up and down his face.

He couldn’t stop crying so he let the tears fall; he was relieved to have John with him, a bit scared at the same time; all could have been over in a second, his whole life turned to nothing in one second. He wanted a smoke, he had taken the habit of smoking whenever John was away, but he knew best, he knew that John would be mad and would scold him.

“Sher?” John coughed and grimaced, opening his eyes and looking for Sherlock. Not only his shoulder hurt, but he felt as if a tank had been parked on his chest

“I’m here love” Sherlock was excited and relieved, John’s voice was the best sound in the world.

“What…?” John tried to sit up but the pain was numbing

“No, don’t move love, you’re okay, everything will be okay” Sherlock reassured him; holding his good hand tightly.

“Where am I?” John finally asked

“QEHB” Sherlock answered softly

“What happened?” John felt dizzy and confused; the pain in his chest and shoulder made it impossible to think straight.

“You don’t remember love?” Sherlock was concerned

“Not much really, just remember that I was behind a Fox, and then in a gurney, my shoulder was burning and that’s it, all the rest is fuzzy”

“You were shot love” Sherlock said, his voice trembling ‘And you died on me, for minutes, but you died’ Sherlock thought

John closed his eyes, the memory coming back to his mind. He was kneeling next to a Fox, they were under heavy fire for a while; they were ambushed; everything was going smoothly until he heard one single shot; it was directed to the Fox. They had to hide in one of the many vacant houses. The whole thing has lasted almost an hour, they had killed almost all dissidents; he had shot a couple of men. After the gunfire ceased, he gave the order to his team to check the roofs. He was kneeling next to the Fox when he felt a sharp pain in his leg, near his knee, but it was nothing to be worried about, just a graze. But then he felt the same sharp pain in his shoulder, and he was lying on the floor, trying to stop the bleeding.

He heard Bill’s voice in his ear, calling for him, a few of his men ran to him, and Bill yelled that he had him, that he had shot the bastard, and that the fucker was a British soldier. A couple young soldiers came to help him; soon a helicopter was taking them out of hell. They put John on a gurney, as he drifted off from blood lose all he could think about was Sherlock and their life together. ‘Please God let me live’. When he opened his eyes again, some members of his battalion were rushing him to another helicopter, and then everything went black.

When he opened his eyes again he could see Sherlock’s worried face, he had been crying, his eyes were red and he looked like he was about to burst into tears any minute now, but he had managed to smile for John, to be there, calm and quiet, supporting John, as he had promised. He felt Sherlock’s hand in his and Sherlock’s eyes all over him, those usually maddening eyes were dark, no light was shining on them, and John felt a pang of pain at the bottom of his stomach; he had caused the brilliant Sherlock Holmes to look like a dead man walking.

“I’m sorry” He whispered squeezing Sherlock’s fingers

“What for, love?” Sherlock asked, slightly startled at the statement

“Worrying you like this” John closed his eyes to stop the tears

“It wasn’t your fault John, you were ambushed, the attack was directed against you, so it’s not your fault, if someone is to blame here it’s me, I’m the one that brought that bastard to our lives” Sherlock was crying again, he felt guilty, he had put John’s life in danger.

“No” John squeezed harder “Other people that couldn’t handle us being happy brought him to our lives”

Sherlock bend down to kiss John’s forehead, his lips barely brushing the pale skin.

“You missed a spot” John teased though he grimaced with pain

Sherlock moved down and kissed John in the lips. The kiss was chaste and soft, a graze of lips.

“I’ve missed you so much” John said against Sherlock’s lips and deepened the kiss

Sherlock was breathless; he kissed John back, feeling relief. “I’ve missed you too” he finally breathed.

A knock on the door made them look over. Lia was standing by the door with a relieved smile on her face; she was happy to see her son awake.

“May we come in” She cleared her throat “You have a lot of eager visitors waiting for you”

John looked at Sherlock and both nodded. Soon the room was filled with people that cared for them. His parents and his in-laws, Greg, Mary, Molly, Mike and Bill, even Mrs. Hudson; they all were waiting to know how he was doing. John smiled at them and felt more relaxed; Sherlock was sitting right next to him holding his hand. He was home now, and safe for the time being, he couldn’t believe how close he was to not having this again.


	64. The great nurse, Sherlock Holmes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Sherlock came back, John was almost asleep, but he felt Sherlock lay next to him and put his arm on his waist, they both drifted away, it was the first night that neither had a nightmare.

A couple weeks passed and John was ready to go home, he had received his discharge papers and had to prepare to live a civilian life. He was sure he was going to miss his nights scouting and the overall feel of adrenaline coursing through his body during the raids, but he was certain that his life with Sherlock was going to be even more exciting than his life in the army; it already was. He was to be decorated for his services and a ceremony to it was waiting for him at Sandhurst as soon as he felt right.

He had successfully lead several operations and saved many lives; so he was to be awarded with an OSM, a MC and a DSO, and a special commendation for capturing Moran; all his unit was recognized for it. Moran had killed several fellow soldiers and he was finally captured, thanks to John’s commanding skills under fire. Sadly it had ended John’s career a little earlier than planned, but he was happy, nonetheless, that Moran was finally out of sight, and hopefully out of mind.

Unfortunately, he was having nightmares, and he had startled Sherlock a couple of times during their hospital stay. He would dream about the soldier that reminded him too much about Sherlock, and how he saw him die right in front of him. He would call Sherlock’s name in his sleep, seeing the life leave those beautiful eyes. Sherlock was having his fair share of nightmares too, he would dream about John being shot, dying in his arms, him seeing how he bled out through a chest wound, his nightmares ended up with frantic cries for John. He couldn’t wait to go home and sleep on the same bed, holding his husband, he knew he had nightmares because Sherlock wasn’t close to him, and the same could have been said about Sherlock.

The day he was released from the hospital, Mycroft had arranged for a car to be waiting for them, John was exhausted and Sherlock looked like a shadow. The two hours from Birmingham to London were the longest two hours in John’s life; he was in pain, and the injury on his shoulder made him grimace. He had started with physical therapy exercises, but he was in much pain still.

When they finally arrived to Baker Street a very concerned Mrs. Hudson received them. Sherlock was carrying all their bags and John; he opened the door to their flat and lead John to the bed, he was limping still, but Sherlock suspected it was more a psychosomatic limp than anything, because his leg was fine, and his knee had healed properly during his time at the hospital.  

He leaned on Sherlock all the time, he felt safe with him; his embrace was the best painkiller he could find. Sherlock helped him out of his clothes, divesting him slowly, and prepared him a bath, he washed his head and his body; he had missed Sherlock’s touch so much! Sherlock was very careful and very thorough, he helped John change the bandages, and with his exercises before getting him into bed and arranging the pillows so his leg and shoulder were supported.

He then left and made John’s favourite, pancakes with honey and strawberry jam, with minced strawberries on top and a cup of Yunnan. He ate some himself and John was grateful that he did, he must have been starved, and sleepy too; he hadn’t slept much the past five days. Sherlock took the tray to the kitchen and John could hear him washing the dishes, it was a first, but a very welcome first.

When Sherlock came back, John was almost asleep, but he felt Sherlock lay next to him and put his arm on his waist, they both drifted away, it was the first night that neither had a nightmare. The next morning, Sherlock lay there, next to John he had finally slept through the night for the first time in months; he always missed John, and when he was away, he was glad if he could sleep at least a couple of hours; he wasn’t much of a sleeper, but it did him good.

He moved slowly out of bed and went to take a shower, they needed milk and bread for breakfast and some other items; the milk had gone sour and the bread was growing a rather interesting kind of mould; Sherlock saved it to study it later. He went to check on John but he was still sleeping. Sherlock bent to kiss his forehead and whispered a goodbye.

He left to Tesco and bought what they needed, eggs, pancake batter, noodles, beef and others groceries; and a cooking book with recipes from a rather angry looking man, he browsed a few recipes, it seemed that this Ramsay bloke was good at cooking, so Sherlock bought the book, he needed some recipes to feed John, they couldn’t live only with Tai or Chinese, though he could always ask Angelo for some food to be delivered. He could have asked Mrs. Hudson but she kept repeating to him like a mantra “I’m not your housekeeper, dear”

When he arrived to the flat, the bags were overwhelming him, he had lost it and bought Tesco; he wanted to prepare John his food, until he was better and could go out to eat. As he entered he saw a tray with tea and biscuits; Mrs. Hudson might not have been their housekeeper, but she sure was like a mother to them. He went to check up on John and he was glad to find him sitting up in bed, looking much better.

John greeted him with a smile, he was sitting in bed, his feet on the floor and his arm out of the sling; he was getting ready for a dressing change and his exercises, he had to do them at least four times a day, no matter how painful they were. Thankfully Sherlock had arrived in time to help him. He put the tray down on the bed and sat next to John, they shared a quick peck and a knowing glance.

“Mrs. Hudson made us tea”

“Yeah, she came in to say good morning, she said you went to Tesco”

“We were out of milk”

John smiled, that was another first, John usually had to go and buy milk.

“How are you feeling love, are you in pain, want your medication?”

“No love, I’m fine, a bit of pain, but I think I can handle it better now, though I do need help changing my dressings and doing my exercises”

“Sure love, I bought some more gauze and dressings, also the pain lotion they recommended. By the way I bought some food so we won’t survive only with Chinese or Tai, maybe Angelo can bring some food, but we can’t have only Italian. Oh and your mother called she said they’ll be visiting this afternoon, and so are my parents, and Greg said that he hopes you feel better; Mary said she’ll be over during the week and so did Molly, Mike called and said that he hopes you feel better; Mycroft wanted to came but I said no, unless you want him to come, I can call him. Oh, and I bought a recipe book from a guy named Ramsay apparently he cooks well, I think. Want to go to the living room? Or you want me to bring the set so we can watch telly? Are you sure you’re comfortable?” Sherlock burst.

John looked at him and smiled; he kissed his husband softly and caressed his cheek. Sherlock leaned to the touch and his mind was peaceful again. He smiled back at John and helped him out of his pyjama shirt; the shoulder looked better, and it was healing rather nicely, though the scar was going to be rather big on both sides. He cleaned the edges following John’s directions, and covered the stitches again; then he applied some pain soothing lotion and the bandages. He then helped John with the movements and left to toss the used dressings.

When he came back John was heading to the bathroom. Sherlock ran to his side but John just shook his head and looked at him. “I can do this love, don’t worry”. John went to the bathroom and Sherlock could hear him humming while he peed; it was very John. He sat on the bed and nibbled on a toast while waiting for John. As soon as he was out the bathroom, Sherlock was waiting for him, he helped him butter his toast and seep the tea. They shared breakfast and John went to the living room, he wanted to read for a while, get out of the stuffy bed and walk about.

John sat at the kitchen and watched Sherlock cook, he made some pasta for John and they shared a quiet lunch together; that afternoon they received their parents, and later on Mary and Molly went to check on them. John was in high spirits, Sherlock was a great nurse and he felt better already. By night, Sherlock bathed John and changed his dressings again. Sherlock left to get the bag with supplies and left John in the bathtub. John sighed contently; he knew that with all of Sherlock’s attention he’ll be up and about in no time      


	65. Captain Watson, the game is on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But John had a plan...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexy times again!!!

A couple weeks passed and John couldn’t control his hunger for Sherlock; every touch, as always, was electrifying; but now the need was building up and John was going mad. He could notice Sherlock was touchier too, but at the same time was too afraid to hurt John so he controlled himself. He had even changed the side of the bed he slept on, from the left to the right, so he wouldn’t press John’s shoulder.

But John had a plan, besides, a blowjob was always very welcome, and he didn’t need his arm to give one to Sherlock. He would wait for Sherlock to come home from the yard and let him prepare his bath; he would call the Tai place and wait for his husband. As soon as Sherlock was through the door, John greeted him with a breath-taking kiss and with the coffee table set with some candles. Mrs. Hudson had helped him prepare everything.

Sherlock was surprised, they shared a candle light dinner and John was really flirty. “If I didn’t know any better, I’ll say you’re trying to seduce me, Captain Watson” Sherlock flirted back and winked at his husband. He went to prepare John’s bath and John insisted that they bathe together. After little teasing and much snogging; they were too aroused to even notice the water had run cold and the suds had disappeared. Sherlock moved out of the bathtub and helped John out; he wrapped him with a towel and took him to their bedroom.

He dried John and helped him to the bed, no clothes were needed. He helped John get comfortable, making sure that his leg was properly lifted and that his shoulder was resting in the pillows. He touched John slowly and softly, revering his body. It had been so long since they had been together like this. He had ached for long, he was just married and his husband had to go to another country to fight a war that wasn’t exactly his, and then he got shot, and he almost lost him.   

He kissed every inch of John’s body, grazing his skin with his hands and lips; it was soft and mostly silent; tiny moans escaped John’s mouth and his hand reached down to grab Sherlock’s hair. John tugged the curls and Sherlock lost it; Sherlock began to kiss John’s inner thigh, nibbling the skin and leaving red mark all over his legs, from John’s calves to his hips. Sherlock sure knew how to tease him.

He lifted John’s good leg over his shoulder and caressed all the way up and grabbed his hips, dipping his head down and swallowing him fully. John gasped at it; he wasn’t expecting to be fully engulfed by Sherlock’s mouth. Sherlock bobbed his head up and down, licking and sucking John slowly at first, enjoying the flavours, the sensation, the throbbing and flicking. He let John go and licked his fingers only to move them under John’s.

He teased his entrance and slipped one finger in, finding John’s prostate easily, John’s body wasn’t exactly uncharted territory, but he was filled with delicious sensations to Sherlock. He licked his shaft and twirled his tongue at John’s tip, swallowing him fully again. Sherlock teased John with his fingers and his tongue, feeling John writhe under his touch.

The moans and sighs that left John’s lips were more than enough to pull Sherlock over the edge. He never stopped his mouth, or his fingers; pleasuring John, kneeled between John’s knees to make himself comfortable; he began stroking himself, matching his mouth and his fingers. John was so aroused by the sight that he couldn’t hold it anymore. He tried to warn Sherlock but he was lost for words because of the gorgeous sight of his beloved husband blowing him.

John came fully in Sherlock’s mouth, making him gag and swallow; he kept on moving his mouth, and his fingers, slowing down. Two more strokes and Sherlock came over John’s leg with a shudder. He lay limp between John’s legs, both panting and sweaty. Sherlock moved and caressed John’s stomach and kissed it before leaving to the bathroom to get a wet rag to clean John. But was surprised by a very eager John, he was standing right behind him.

“Turn on the shower” He demanded huskily. Sherlock obeyed, unable to do anything else. He turned the shower on and looked at John. He was aroused by this side of John, he was being Captain Watson

“Now get in!” John ordered, fire in his eyes, Sherlock obeyed once more, mesmerized by the lust he could see in his husband’s eyes.

John followed Sherlock in and embraced Sherlock with his good arm; he kissed his back and caresses his hip; his other arm rested comfortably in Sherlock’s waist. Sherlock helped John and held his hurt arm. John teased Sherlock’s arse with his very engorged cock and a few minutes later he was thrusting up as hard as he was able inside Sherlock. Nothing mattered, just the two of them and the, oh, so gratifying sensation of having Sherlock whimpering and squirming under his touch.

John fucked Sherlock until he was fully sated, making Sherlock scream his name and shiver all the time. He noticed Sherlock was worried so he reassured him all the time that he wasn’t in pain; that he was happy, that he needed this; that he needed to feel him in every way possible; that he needed to make sure that he was alive, and home, that this wasn’t over.

Sherlock let John do as he pleased, calling him Captain Watson every now and then. He could feel John’s thrusts intensify every time he called him Captain. As much as John did, Sherlock needed this too; he needed to feel John was alive and well, that he wasn’t hurt and broken; that his John was home with him, wholly. They shared fantastic shower sex for the next couple hours, never minding if the water was cold, or if their phones were ringing, or that, apparently, they were supposed to host the Christmas dinner this year and hadn’t gone to the shops yet to buy food, or decorated the flat and got a tree; all that mattered was the two of them and this moment.                       


	66. Christmas dinner at the Watson-Holmes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the dinner; they followed the recipes to the last letter, the flat smelled deliciously and it was decorated with their favourite colours, blue and purple, with white fairy lights and the oddest ornaments they could find, from blue reindeers to a purple Santa. They made ginger cookies and mulled wine, hot chocolate and a turkey for all their guests, accompanied by roast potatoes and salad, and for dessert an Italian style trifle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock can seriously cook!!!
> 
> These are the recipes I liked the most. BTW I love Gordon’s shows and recipes.  
> Ramsay’s turkey recipe http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/roastturkeyandstuffi_71053  
> Ramsay’s trifle recipe http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/531418/gordon-ramsay-italian-style-trifle  
> Ramsay’s potatoes http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/510959/gordon-ramsay-s-roast-potatoes-with-chilli-and-turmeric

After their long… shower, John went to the bedroom, his limp a mere memory. Sherlock looked at him and smiled, his John was better with each passing day. John was surprised too, it was the first time in almost a month that he hadn’t limped, that he felt fully functioning again, and it was all thanks to his Sherlock. They lay next to each other and drifted off, they slept soundly all night.

The next morning, they checked their phones, they were supposed to host Christmas dinner this year and their mothers were calling them to offer recipes and help to prepare dinner; but Sherlock was adamant, he wanted to celebrate John’s return and since they had already offered, prepare the dinner all by themselves.

John agreed; he wanted to show off Sherlock’s recently acquired cooking skills, they found a turkey recipe by their newest favourite cook, the “angry Ramsay” as Sherlock called him. They went to the shops, John feeling more alive than ever, Sherlock feeling that his life was finally beginning; and bought all they needed, except for the fresh thyme and rosemary, they would have to use the dried stuff but it was okay, it tasted exactly the same.

After the shops, they went to get a tree and some fairy lights and ornaments; they found mistletoe and kissed all the way back home. After they returned and left all the shopping bags at home, they went to buy gifts for everybody; a new tea set for Mrs. Hudson (they had to get that for her after an “accident” with the other one), a book about World War II for Siger, pashminas for Violet and Lia, earrings for Mary and a necklace for Molly, a nice tie pin for Mycroft and a gun kit for Greg. They got Hamish a jacket, a jumper for Bill and, just in case Mike could come, a new doctor’s bag. They’d invited James too, but John wasn’t sure he’ll come, just in case they got him a book about the war too.

When they arrived home they shared a quick meal and off to bed. The day was exhausting and John was in pain; Sherlock could always notice, and he could only imagine how he felt, particularly because it was cold outside and his shoulder must have been killing him; but John endured the whole day out. But John had other plans; he wanted to stay up all night with Sherlock, making up for all the nights that they had been apart. Sure his shoulder hurt, but nothing he couldn’t endure, besides, caressing Sherlock was a fantastic therapy!

As usual, Sherlock let him, though always concerned about his shoulder; he kept his movements soft and slow, trying not to exert John, Sherlock was always on top, enjoying the ride, as he had always done. John marvelled at the change in position that Sherlock did, sitting with his back to John, so he could watch the way he impaled himself into John’s cock. The days until Christmas were passed making love and sleeping, making up for the lost time.         

The day of the dinner; they followed the recipes to the last letter, the flat smelled deliciously and it was decorated with their favourite colours, blue and purple, with white fairy lights and the oddest ornaments they could find, from blue reindeers to a purple Santa. They made ginger cookies and mulled wine, hot chocolate and a turkey for all their guests, accompanied by roast potatoes and salad, and for dessert an Italian style trifle.

The guests arrived shortly after the bird was out the oven (luckily); the table was set (beautifully decorated with the table clothes Violet had forced them to receive, and the china Lia gave them after they moved to 221 B). The fireplace was roaring and a bunch of gifts lay under the tree. To their surprise, even James appeared at their door. Mike and his wife (when the hell did that happen?) were the first to arrive, and John greeted him warmly.

The next were Bill and Mary, Mary’s parents, and Molly with a guy named Tom (another Sherlock look alike) and her parents. Their little home was already full of people by the time their parents arrived. Mycroft and Greg were the last ones to arrive; they shared some mulled wine and gingerbread cookies before dinner.

After dinner they all gathered to exchange gifts and sing carols, Sherlock played the violin and John felt home, he finally was at home. Many congratulations were in their way, though John never revealed that Sherlock was the one that prepared the magnificent dinner, he claimed they had ordered the food and Sherlock agreed and helped with the lie, they liked family traditions but they didn’t want to become permanent hosts to them.

The next morning they shared breakfast in bed, starting a new Christmas tradition and exchanged gifts. John had bought Sherlock a beekeeping book and a new coat, a black and blue Belstaff. Sherlock had bought John a new computer and some novels he knew he liked. The next few days were a daze, John was feeling better, he had agreed to go to Sandhurst to receive his decoration after New Year’s and he had set the goal to find a job at some surgery. His old friend Sarah was working at one so she offered him a job and he gladly took it.

When New Year’s Eve came, they shared the night alone, as they always did, not bothering to go out or attend invitations; the only one they accepted was the engagement announcement of Mary and Bill, but they were home before midnight, keeping up with their own tradition.  


	67. Long life ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were both stunned; they couldn’t believe that the “iceman” wanted to have a kid!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Babies are so lovely!!!

A year passed, and they settled into a nice routine, John working at the clinic, Sherlock solving cases, John writing about them and Sherlock complaining about how romantic John was. The Detective and the Doctor had a beautiful life together; they’d been married for over a year and everything was right. They would always have a fight about whose turn to do the dishes was, but never anything out of the ordinary. John was patient and Sherlock was loving.

Mary and Bill got married in June, a very nice summer wedding, and John and Sherlock were her bride “maids” along with Molly and some other friends Mary had gathered along the way. Bill asked John to be his best man and he accepted gladly; he was more than happy to do it. By that time, Harry had divorced Clara and she was living with some other poor girl in Cardiff.

James was almost killed, but Sherlock had helped him and stopped the murder, although he still lived secluded and away from everything; he received them at least once a month. They would go and visit James; Sherlock would always let them talk and share memories while he busied himself with whatever he could find.

John rarely limped, or complained about his shoulder, Sherlock stopped smoking for good, though John would allow him a few drags during a particularly hard case. He had found all his secret stashes, glad that he found cigarettes and not cocaine or worst. Their blogs attracted clients, and they were making a nice life. They even helped Wilkes with a case, but only after John made him look like an arse in front of a bunch of colleagues for not helping his so called friend.

Greg would call them at least once a week with cases too, though now he had a forensic team; that, according to Sherlock, was to laugh for. A new recruit, a girl called Sally Donovan tortured Sherlock, the first time they had met she had called him a freak; John was in Afghanistan and wasn’t there to protect his Sherlock. Sally was sleeping with Anderson, a forensic analyst; and Sherlock had pointed it out; she was enraged and had yelled at him. Unfortunately for Sally and Phillip, the next time she called Sherlock a freak, John was there to protect and defend him. She had no idea who they were, nor did the office idiot, Phillip Anderson, until they heard Lestrade’s married name and they had to keep their mouths shut for their own sake.

At the yard Lestrade’s married name was never filtered; security matters of course, but it was always nice to pull the Holmes name once in a blue moon. The same happened when they wouldn’t allow John into a crime scene, he would introduce himself as “John Watson-Holmes”, pulling some strings and helping his mad husband solve the crimes without having to endure the stupidity from the Yard’s worst Donovan and Anderson.

One afternoon, John came from work to find his Detective staring at the wall, not in a thinking pose, just staring at the wall; his phone in his hands and a rather strange expression on his face. He went to him and since he didn’t get an answer, he was immediately worried. He sat next to him and stroked his back softly; Sherlock came out of his daze and showed John the text he just received; his brother had decided to adopt a baby!

They were both stunned; they couldn’t believe that the “iceman” wanted to have a kid! Seriously, Mycroft had changed thanks to Greg. They were to receive a baby daughter by the end of the year. John couldn’t stop laughing and Sherlock was too shocked to even be able to think straight.

“We should do the same you know” John said cleaning a few tears

“The same?” Sherlock shook his head trying to clear it.

“Yes love, the same, have a baby” John smiled at his husband

“Are you sure?” Sherlock was astounded

“Of course I’m sure, or else I won’t be saying it” John’s smile was bright

“And how should we do it?” Sherlock beamed, it was the first time they had actually sat and talked about it, he had suggested turning the room upstairs into a nursery, but John never said anything.

“We have many options love; whatever you choose is fine with me” John stroked his cheek

“We could check some adoption agencies” Sherlock said

“Sure we could, or we could ask Greg which one they used”

“That too; though I must admit I’d love to have a little copy of you running around the house” Sherlock said a bit sad    

“And I’d love a little copy of you, but that is a bit impossible” John looked at Sherlock lovingly

“Not unless we asses all of our options” Sherlock said

“Then let’s asses them love” John kissed him.

After much talking and debating, they had settled to have a baby with the help of a surrogate mother, and decided it was best to obtain eggs from an anonymous donor, just in case. They chose an intelligent young woman, and fertilised her eggs, one with Sherlock’s and one with John’s. A year later, exactly on Christmas day, they had received the news that the product finally hatched; that they were having babies. Thirty eight weeks later, they were at the A&E waiting room waiting for their kids. The Thirtieth of August the world received little William Hamish and little Amelia Violet, and their parents couldn’t be happier.


	68. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was just one of the many wonderful nights at 221 B.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's over. Thanks so much for reading!!!

The babies were a handful, but John was surprised that Sherlock would help him all the time, being worried about feeding times and nap times, changing nappies and investigating about schools, wondering about space, rooms, toys, educational books and what not; even his experiments were moved aside to keep the kitchen table clean for the sake of their children.

They bought 221C and expanded their home; they kept the room upstairs as Sherlock’s lab and built their kids their rooms. They knew that Mrs, Hudson would help them and would be happy to take care of them, but they tried not to bother her much. Lia and Violet where the proudest and happiest grandmothers in the world, they visited them daily and helped them with advice on how to take care of them.

Every week, the proud grandparents would take them to a stroll in the park, sleep overs, ice cream or a simple day out; they would even share play dates with their cousin Gabrielle and with Bill and Mary’s son, James. They’ll help papa solve cases and daddy write the blog, they were insightful and clever, sweet and patient; they had their best and worst qualities.

Hamish looked just like a little copy of John, his eyes were deep blue and his blond head was similar to his father, except his curls were unruly. Their “mother” was a really nice young woman that agreed to help them; she had blond curly hair and blue eyes (a fairly common lady, as Sherlock described her); though they barely knew her.

Violet on the other hand, had the same eyes as Sherlock, and the maddening curly dark hair that John loved so much. Hints of blond hair glittering amongst those raven like curls, but that was about it; Sherlock couldn’t be happier. Every time he looked at them he could see the person he loved the most reflected in their eyes. He would always see John. 

Little Hamish was interested in corpses and crime scenes, he liked to play the piano, and shared a healthy -much to Sherlock’s discomfort- relationship with his uncle, he had learned from his uncle Mycroft to play chess and the piano, and he had learned with his Uncle Greg to play rugby, and when he was sixteen, to John’s dismay, to fire a gun. He was sharp, he could notice how a person felt just by looking at them by the time he was five; but he was kind and would use this particular ability to comfort people instead of making them feel uncomfortable. He decided to be a doctor, like daddy, but he wanted to be a scientist, like papa, he was the youngest and most brilliant forensic analyst the Yard had ever hired. 

Little Violet was interested in reading and writing, conducting experiments, and investigating about diseases and infections. She loved her uncle Mycroft, but she always teased him, she loved playing the violin and Sherlock had endured his daughter's first tries at playing the complicated instrument; she was a cluedo champion and always beat uncle Greg at it. She loved her uncle Greg and always made sure that she could go to the Yard and help with interrogations. She could read people as if their entire lives were written on a piece of paper. By eighteen, her uncle Myc had helped her get a “minor” job with him. Sherlock was absolutely pissed, but his daughter was happy so he was happy too. She was sweet too, she used her abilities to make people talk; she was a charmer, like daddy, and a people reader, like papa.

Sherlock had influenced their kids and they were very clever and observant, and John’s best traits rubbed on them too, they were kind and sweet, thinking about others first, always trying to help. Their particular characteristics proved that not all is a matter of nature, that nurture is an important part while raising a kid.

The day they came from the hospital with the babies, John was left stunned by the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. It was around four in the morning and the babies had cried for food and a nappy change. John was in the kitchen preparing them some formula, while Sherlock decided to try and change a nappy for the first time in his life. John turned the kettle on and decided to make some tea for them. It would take almost the same amount of time. The kids were practically crying their lungs out while Sherlock changed them

John could hear him cursing under his breathe, complaining about the damn nappy, the coldness of his hands and apologising profusely to his son and daughter about his cold finger tips. All of the sudden, all was quiet and John panicked. Not even Sherlock could be heard in the small flat; he wandered if he had taken them to their cots or something.

But no, it was something even more beautiful and apparently mundane; that had made them stop crying. Sherlock was standing in their living room, bouncing his children back to sleep. One little bundle in each arm, heads resting in his shoulders, long fingers caressing tiny backs, and soothing French words being spoken to tiny ears.

John froze on the spot and leaned his head in the kitchen door frame. He looked at his husband illuminated by the street light, holding their children amorously, bouncing them, holding them so lovingly, that it made John’s heart swell and fill with love for his mad man.  He went over and hugged his husband by the back, placing his hands on his kids’ backs and bouncing softly with them. It was just one of the many wonderful nights at 221 B. 

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: This story may contain mature themes such as male on male sex, foul language and gross violence, if you are uncomfortable with any of these, please DON’T READ
> 
> Don't own any of them... Hope you enjoy it. Comments are always welcome!


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